Omega
by The Ruby Red Raven
Summary: Zero is more than he appears. And soon Kaname and Yuuki going to find out just how special this Level D really is...KxZ Yaoi.
1. Changes for the Changed

_**A/N: Read! This is a Yaoi story between Zero and Kaname. There will be Yuuki bashing as at the moment I really don't like her. There will be some OCs as they are vital to the story line but the story is not about them. If you have a problem with any of these, please leave now and don't flame. You have been duly warned. Another thing this is my first yaoi story so it's probably rubbish.**_

_**Summary: **_ Zero is more than he appears, and as his birthday draws closer Yuuki Kuran is going to find out how different her Level D really is and Kaname is going to discover if he's really with the right person...

_**Omega:**_

_**Chapter One**_

_**Changes for the Changed**_

Zero rarely slept any more. In fact, he hadn't slept since Kuran Kaname had awoken Yuuki's vampire side. His sister. His fiancée. But Zero tried not to think about that too much; it made his stomach churn and bile rise up in his throat faster than the blood tablets. Yuuki had been moved to the Moon Dorms and Sayori, Yuuki's close human friend had taken over her duties as the second prefect. Training her in anti-vampire weapons had become a welcome distraction.

Because Zero and Yori and the rest of the Day Class had become obsolete in Yuuki's new vampire eyes. If it wasn't the shocked looks from the Night Class (including Kaname) she received the first time she pushed arrogantly past Zero, the Ex-human would have happily blamed them in Yuuki's drastic change in behaviour. But it was as if someone had erased her previous sweet, cheerful personality and rewritten her as a demanding spoiled brat with a superiority-complex.

Despite this, Yori knew it wasn't the loss of their best and in Zero's case, only friend that caused the dark shadows his eyes. It was the nightmares. Since learning of his situation, she'd offered him her blood twice. And twice he turned it down. But it wasn't just the nightmares that had Yori worried. For the past month, Zero had been acting more and more ...odd.

At first it was little things...making a cup of tea without realising he'd already made one and hadn't drunk that one yet...Forgetting what his next lesson was even though he'd told her not five minutes ago...it wasn't until Zero spoke to her in fluent French that Sayori really started to get worried. Especially when she asked, he couldn't remember what he'd said directly after. Then there was the notebook filled with Latin that he wrote but couldn't read.

She'd begged him to see the nurse but he refused point blank to even step foot in the Infirmary, she'd threatened to tell the Chairman and only got a bored "so tell him, then" back. So she'd told. The Chairman had been as worried as she had and none of the theories they'd come up with together could explain Zero's condition. She'd tried to hide her concern for him as she knew he wouldn't have wanted nor needed it.

She pretended nothing was wrong when he taught her to use Silver Edge- the extendable spear filled with Hunter magic that was her prefect's weapon. The blade, brilliant silver was kite-shaped and wickedly sharp; it was as long and wide as Zero's hand. The extendable shaft meant she could use it like a dagger when it was at its shortest and a full out spear at its longest of a foot long. She risked a small worried look at Zero as he showed her to use the shaft as a Bo staff and wield the point with deadly accuracy.

After the practise she'd attempted to convince him to visit the town together the next day, a Saturday. "No thanks." Zero had told her as he shrugged into a clean t-shirt. Sayori hadn't pressed. She knew that Zero didn't like people prying into his life too much, but she did wangle an invite to go with him when he did errands for the Chairman the next week.

A week passed. Yuuki got worse. She started to give pithy little remarks at Zero's Level D status, Zero ignored her and the Night Class began distancing themselves from her. Although Kaname couldn't stop his sister clinging on to him like a limpet every time they passed the Day Class on their way to their lessons, he had stopped giving her his secret little smiles and lavishing her with affection. Instead he gave apologetic glances at Zero when the rest of the Night Class went on. Zero ignored them.

He'd gotten worse over the week. Sayori had brought him a new notebook as an early 18th birthday present, knowing he preferred to scribble down his thoughts than talk them over. It was already filled with Latin, German, French and what looked like Celtic runes. Having stolen it and gone to library, Sayori had managed to translate the French first as she already knew some of the language, and was working on the English. She was disturbed with what she'd found. The French had gone like:

"_It's filled with blood. Everywhere, everything is red. I recognise one of the girls from my dream. I still don't know her name. Her hair is the colour of milk chocolate, but dirty, greasy and hangs in rat tails to her shoulders and looks like it's been hacked at with gardening shears. She is wearing a loose dress to her knees that looks like it's made from old bed sheets. She'd led through cobbled streets with old wooden houses on either side. Men and women and children follow the horse-drawn cart where she is chained. They throw rotten vegetables and stones at her, but she doesn't react. Her pretty face is bruised and blood dribbles from the shallow cuts the stones leave._

_Two burly men drag her from the cart; she kicks and screams at them. She doesn't like being touched, I know this. I don't know how or why but I know this. The one on her left backhands her and tells her to shut up. The one on her right laughs. I feel inexplicitly furious at this blatant display of disrespect towards the girl, even though she is not much older than me. They pull her up on a wooden platform, they undo the chains only to wrench her arms behind her back and refasten the heavy iron manacles, while one man slips a noose around her neck, the other reads off a list of her crimes. _

_The townspeople that had thrown stones and vegetables at her roar for her death. I think I shouted in fury at such a waste of a life...the Hangman pulls the lever and as she falls I run forward, desperate to save her. I can see her face turning purple, her dark eyes bulge and reel as the rope tightens around her neck...even as her kicking legs fall limp, I'm racing towards her...then I wake up, in my bed at Cross Academy. And there is no girl being hung in 1688, Paris." _

Yori had carefully copied out the Latin and hidden the notebook back where she'd found it. She was now painstakingly researching books for what the words might reveal. She felt guilty about betraying Zero's trust when she'd given him the book in the first place so he didn't have to talk to her about his private thoughts. But with how he was acting Yori didn't care if he never forgave her, if it helped him it was worth it.

"Well, Kiriyuu? Aren't you going to get out my way?" The deceptively simpering voice cut through Sayori's memories as easily as Silver Edge would cut through butter. Kuran Yuuki stood in front of Zero, clinging to her brother and glaring at the male prefect in disgust. Zero stood a little in front of the Day Class girls who were screaming for 'Kaname-sempai' or 'Idol-sempai' and 'Wild-sempai'. But they didn't go past Zero, Sayori had never been on the receiving end of his Death Glare and hoped to God she never would be. Yuuki tapped her foot impatiently, even though he was well out of the way for her to walk past.

Zero ignored her and instead pointed at one of the girls that attempted to slide out of line to Aidou, "one more step at its detention tomorrow." Zero told her without looking at her. The girl squeaked and hurried back into line. Yuuki waited for an answer, she stood firm even as Kaname attempted to lead her around Zero.

"I asked a question, you filthy Level..." Yuuki's heated outburst was cut off effectively when Kaname slapped a hand over her mouth. Her dark eyes, filled with confusion and anger swivelled to meet Kaname's equally dark furious orbs.

"We are very grateful for what Kiriyuu-kun and Sayori-san do for us every day, aren't we, Yuuki?" His voice suggested it was not open for debate and if she made one she would not like the consequences. Kaname then dragged her away from the prefect and towards the school building, the rest of the Night Class waited for them patiently by the steps. After the vampires had disappeared in to the building, Zero and Sayori quickly dispersed the Day girls back to their dorms.

As they stood on the prefect's balcony where they could over look the whole campus for day students sneaking out to spy on the Night students or Night students who wanted a midnight snack. "All quiet." Sayori reported as she came up to Zero after walking the whole way round the balcony. He nodded to tell her it was the same here. "Zero...why do you think Yuuki-chan hates us now?" She finally asked him what was plaguing her mind since Yuuki was awoken.

"I don't know." He turned to look at Sayori with sad eyes. "If I hadn't seen the way Kuran looked at the first time she called..." He trailed off. They both knew that his decent to Level E was a sore spot for him. "If I hadn't seen his face, I would have thought he was changing her but he looked as shocked at her words as I was." Zero murmured quietly, talking more to himself than the second prefect.

Soon Saturday rolled round and Zero and Sayori dressed to go and do errands for the Chairman. Zero shrugged into a black winter jacket, black combat trousers and a long sleeved dark purple t-shirt that brought out the purple in his eyes. Sayori wore a knee-length pearly grey coat and jeans and green sweater underneath. They got the groceries and Zero was surprised with how comfortable it was just to be with Sayori. With Yuuki he always had to keep an eye on her because of her habit to wander off and get herself into trouble.

When Zero needed to go to the chemist to restock the school's supply of blood pills, Sayori told him she wanted to get a new history book on the French Revolution, both had been surprised when they discovered they shared an interest in foreign history. While Sayori did go to the book store, she left after finding what she wanted. She then went in to the shop next door.

The rooms were dark and filled with chirping and mewling, the blub-blub-blub of fish tanks and the scratching of tiny kittens in their huge cage. "Can I help you, Miss?" A soft croaky voice asked quietly from behind her. Sayori jumped, spinning around and her hand automatically going to Silver Edge tucked in her coat. The old woman with big horn-rimmed glasses just smiled serenely. "There's no need for that here, Miss. I'm not a vampire."

The copper-haired girl gaped at the old woman. "Y-you know?" She finally stammered out in shock.

The old woman laughed, her cheeks dimpling in her weathered face. "Oh my dear girl, of course I know. It's not often I get the Night Class students here but I did get a young one in here not three weeks ago, reddish hair and grey eyes. Not once smiled but then what teenagers do these days? He wanted one of my new kittens for his friend's birthday, as I recall."

Sayori knew immediately who the old woman was talking about. Shiki Senri had gotten a little tabby kitten for Ichijou Takuma- his boyfriend's birthday just before the end of last month. The blonde cheerful vampire had been delighted with the baby cat more than any of his other presents and had shown the newly christened Yumi off to anyone who stood in one spot longer than five minutes.

"A coincidence, I'm looking for a friend's birthday as well." Sayori's eyes drifted to an open top enclosure where three husky pups were snuffling at the clean newspaper they had. Two were pure white but one was white with a silvery grey topcoat and mask. It was the smallest of the three but the one that was pawing at the paper with the most enthusiasm.

"Ah, that's Shiloh. She's the youngest but twice the handful than her brothers." The woman warned. "Huskies need a lot of looking after, lot of companionship. Especially the puppies, if you want to get one for your friend they'll need a lot of time to play with them. "

Sayori dropped down and petted Shiloh's head. "My friend is lonely but he doesn't know he is. Maybe Shiloh can be his companion as well as him being hers." Sayori suggested, giggling a little when Shiloh eagerly licked her hand.

"Are you sure the Headmaster won't mind? A puppy is a lot different from a kitten." But the woman looked more thoughtful. She then looked up at Sayori sharply, "This friend of yours isn't Kiriyuu Zero?" She suddenly asked. Sayori blinked up at the woman as she rubbed Shiloh's fur, she nodded hesitantly and the pet shop owner's face immediately creased into a delighted smile. "He comes in here every time he'd in town, plays with the pups before he goes to the chemist. You must have just missed him leaving."

"Does he like Shiloh?" Sayori asked, if Zero preferred one of the males, she'd get him that one instead...but she liked Shiloh, she thought the grey and white puppy was much better for Zero than the other two.

"Oh he loves her. And she adores him. Do you want to get her for him?"

"Yes please." Sayori nodded.

"As it's for Kiriyuu-kun I'll give you a little discount." The woman moved behind the counter while Sayori gathered the tiny pup into her arms. "But that's just between the three of us." The woman touched a crooked finger to her nose, then tapped Sayori's and Shiloh's in turn. Sayori nodded thankfully.

Even with the discount, the price made Sayori pale and she fought back the urge to gulp, but she determinedly pushed that to the back of her mind. This was for Zero. It was worth it. She made plans to pick up Shiloh next week- closer to Zero's birthday and brought a simple brown leather collar and lead.

They had decided to meet in a cosy cafe an hour before the next bus back to school left. However due to buying Zero his birthday present, Sayori was ten minutes late. "Sorry I was so late, Zero." Sayori apologised. Zero just nodded emotionlessly, he had been waiting for her outside the coffee shop loaded down with shopping bags.

Sayori had insisted she paid for the coffees even though her bank account was still whimpering after she brought Shiloh. They found a quiet table in the back, where they could talk freely without the worry of someone overhearing them. "I got caught up reading about witch burnings in 17th century England." Sayori offered as a lame excuse- she'd finished her fascination on witch burnings three weeks ago and had moved on to the French Revolution.

But Zero just nodded and took a sip of his bitter black coffee as if he didn't already know that. The two prefects shared their coffees in comfortable silence; they still had plenty of time before they had to get the bus. Zero was happy for this, as when he went shopping with Yuuki, he often had to go find her before the last bus left and then they had to run to catch it in time.

When it was time to leave, they did so with few words between them. They were both naturally quiet people and they rarely saw the sense in pointless chatter- something Yuuki was an expert on. The bus was on time so they left quite quickly and were glad to be heading back to the school. Sayori turned to Zero as the bus crossed the bridge to their stop, "It's your birthday in next week, do you want to go into town for dinner?" She asked.

Zero continued to glare out the window. Sayori was about to ask again when he grunted and shrugged. At least it wasn't an outright rejection. "We can get away from school and prefect duties and..." Sayori paused when she realised she was about to say Yuuki's name. From the look Zero gave her he knew exactly what she was about to say as well. "...and the Chairman's cooking!" She said instead and stretched her lips into a wide smile. She heaved a sigh of relief when Zero chuckled deeply.

"Maybe that'll be nice." Zero conceded.

As it neared Zero's birthday, everything got worse. Zero got worse. The other Day Class students had started to notice as well and were now more wary of the silver haired prefect- after all what if he was contagious. The Night Class seemed to notice as well and Yuuki made even more malicious remarks on his inevitable fall to Level E.

However the elder Kuran sibling and surprisingly, Kain and Seiren started to treat Zero with more respect- Takuma had always had respect for Zero. Shiki and Rima, for their part, didn't seem to be able to drum enough interest to either follow Kaname's lead and respect the Ex-Human or taunt him like the younger pureblood. They just ignored him, although Sayori thought he saw both give sympathetic looks at the Silverette, it could have also just been her imagination.

Zero tried to hide how much he was hurting form everyone else, but Sayori had become well adapted to reading behind his half-truths and full out lies.

She could see that he was in so much pain; the bags under his eyes seemed to get darker and heavier with each passing day. He grew paler although he was already pale to start with so instead his skin was ghastly grey instead of his usual healthy alabaster. His hands would shake uncontrollably at times until he was able to firm them and hide their weakness from anyone who might have seen.

Sayori didn't know what to do any more.

She'd spoken to the headmaster on numerous occasions to try and convince the nurse to examine Zero. She'd resorted to begging and threatening Zero, desperate that he'd drop his pride and go to the nurse. He'd refused coldly and disappeared for two days, she didn't see him in class and had to with prefect duties on her own before he returned and acted as if nothing had happened, but looking worse than ever.

And she was sure the taunts from Yuuki and her cohorts- mostly unknown Level C's, looking to get in the good books of a Pureblood- had helped him any. It got so bad, Sayori's fingers itched to take Silver Edge and slowly slice up her former friend with it. Zero seemed to know this and had easily kept her distracted from Yuuki during change-over.

Two days before Zero's eighteenth birthday, as they left their History class and were making their way to their maths class, Sayori and Zero were the last ones out. Sayori paused when she felt Zero no longer next to her, she turned back to see him leaning against the doorjamb. If Sayori ever saw a ghost she'd swear it had more colour than Zero had at that moment, his face shiny with perspiration, his eyes were glassy and the pupils dilated so much that only a thin band of lavender was visible around the black pupil.

"Zero!" Sayori gasped even as the boy's eyes rolled wildly and he slid down the doorjamb and lay crumpled on the polished floor. Kazuko-Sensei, their teacher was immediately next to him with Sayori. The other members of class, having been alerted by Sayori's cry, hovered uncertainly nearby. Sayori turned to the student closest to her- one of Idol-Sempai's most devoted fans- and barked "Get the Nurse and the headmaster! Now!"

The girl scurried away with two others that went to help her. Sayori stroked Zero's damp silver hair out of his face, "It's going to be okay, Zero." She knew she was making a promise she couldn't keep. The nurse had appeared, slightly out of breathe- indicating she'd run from the infirmary, but her face was all business. Cross Kaien had also come running, his green shawl hanging off one shoulder and his glasses askew. His face was pinched with worry and more serious than Sayori had ever seen it.

The nurse took Zero's pulse and pulled back his eyelids to check his eyes. "Call an ambulance and get him sent over to St. Lucifer's." She demanded. Sayori couldn't stop a small gasp from forcing its way out of her throat. St. Lucifer's was a vampire hospital that was charity-run by both Hunters and Vampires. Kaname and Kaien had set it up to help their dream of co-existence. The hospital specialised in ex-humans that hadn't fallen to Level E just yet and was designed to try and keep them at Level D.

"I'm going with him." Sayori told them firmly. If this meant Zero was dying then he needed a friend- not one that would choke him with an overabundance of coddling but someone who knew and understood what was going to happen to him and wouldn't turn in to a gibbering mess because of it. She needed to be strong for him.

The nurse opened her mouth, clearly to state that it was best if Sayori stayed here, but one look at the young girl's face told her it would only be a waste of oxygen. The headmaster nodded solemnly. "All classes have been cancelled for today. All of you will return to your dorms and will be escorted to the cafeteria for your evening meal and then escorted back to your dorms. " He told the gathering student mass. His voice was cold and hard as steel. "Anyone caught outside their dorms without an escort will be expelled immediately. No excuses will be heard."

One of the girls made a small choked sob- none of them needed anyone to say it because it was all ingrained into them since the opening of the Night Class. By being escorted back to their dorms immediately after their evening meal, they'll miss the class change-over and miss seeing their favourite Night Class students. And with the threat of expulsion hanging over their heads, no one was going to risk sneaking out for a glimpse of the Night Class.

Sayori was only slightly surprised when headmaster Cross climbed into the back of the ambulance with Zero, clutching the boy's pale sweaty hand as if it was his only lifeline. Sayori sat on Zero's other side, one hand gripping his as hard as she dared without hurting him and the other stroking back his hair as a mother would. The paramedic was a Level C and went about his duty with a detached air that made Sayori think he didn't really like his job.

When they got to the hospital there was another vampire. This one was also a Level C and the way he offered a cheerful smile at them and then looked at Zero, a nod at an attending nurse and they wheeled Zero away. Sayori made to follow but was stopped by the headmaster. "No, Wakaba-san. We must wait here." For the first time she could remember, Cross Kaien looked...old.

"But he'll be okay, won't he?" Sayori asked desperately. She didn't know what to do anymore- Zero was in so much pain and she couldn't stop it...maybe if Yuuki hadn't...she cut herself from that thought quickly and efficiently, it'd do no good to think about what Yuuki could be like if she hadn't changed. She would not let her thoughts take that dark road.

Kaien sighed deeply; he took off his glasses and polished them on his shawl, in an unregistered nervous habit. "I don't know, Sayori-kun." He whispered hoarsely. He couldn't lie to her, not after everything she'd done. When Yuuki was awakened, Kaien was worried for her and for Kaname, the implications of what they had done...but mostly he had been worried for Zero, his reaction.

He had been unsurprised by the silver-haired Hunter's initial volatile reaction but afterwards it had been filled with warmth when the boy had promised to try and understand and stay friends with Yuuki. It had taken Kaien longer than it should have to see that Yuuki had changed too drastically for either him, Zero or even Sayori to be anything more than a blip on Yuuki's radar. Sayori had been the only one to pull Zero from his dark and turbulent thoughts. She had been the one to save him.

Kaien's heart ached for the girl who Yuuki had once been. He had lost his daughter to her evitable destiny. He would not lose his son his.

Aidou Hanabusa followed close behind the Kurans as the Night Class got ready for their lessons. He couldn't wait to see all those pretty day Class girls and to tease their Guardians; Aidou frowned when he saw that Kaname-sama walked in slow measured steps. It wasn't very hard to work out why, Aidou thought bitterly, with Yuuki-sama clinging to him like a monkey. He hopped from one foot to the other impatiently, as soon as the gates slowly clanged open, Aidou skipped through them.

Kain walked into his cousin when Aidou suddenly stopped. "Hey! What gives, Hanabusa?" He muttered darkly as he righted himself, having barely caught himself before he fell over his shorter cousin. He saw why Aidou had stopped so suddenly. The courtyard that usually held dozens of screaming fan girls was deserted. Not even Kiriyuu or Wakaba were present.

"Where is everyone?" Aidou asked, looking around as if he expected the girls he was accustomed to shouting his name to suddenly pop out of the bushes and trees that lined the walkway. No one appeared, in the distance they heard a bird cheep.

"Onii-sama, why aren't the Day Class girls here?" Yuuki asked in a sickly simpering tone. She looked up at Kaname from under her eyelashes, thinking it made her look vulnerably beautiful- and what big, strong man didn't want a damsel in distress to save? She didn't realise it made it look like something had flown into her eyes and she was trying to blink it out.

"I don't know." Kaname answered. If he was honest to himself, the quiet was a welcome change, but the absence of Zero and Sayori was disturbing. Even if they managed to keep the Day Class fan girls away, the two of them would still be here to supervise the change-over. It was not like either of them to allow the vampires free reign where there could still be humans about. "We should still get to class." He told the other vampires, immediately they started walking again.

Kaname couldn't stop himself from looking up at the empty Prefect balcony, half expecting to see the silver hair glittering in the setting sun's last rays. Instead there was nothing. The balcony was deserted and seemed to throw out a deep aura of loneliness. Kaname wondered why his heart felt so heavy at the fact there was no Zero there to glare at him hatefully.

Kaname glared at the Hunter. How dare that insignificant little human tell him what to do? The Hunter, however didn't seem to notice or care, his booted feet were propped up on the desk, his arms folded behind his head and a cigarette dangling from between his lips. His visible ice blue eye was mocking respect but Kaname could see that there was also worry hidden behind all the sarcasm.

"It is urgent I speak with Headmaster Cross, Yagari-Sensei. Please tell me where he is." Kaname kept his voice calm and controlled- bordering on polite- he knew that showing any of the anxiety he truly felt welling up inside of him would be a weakness. And Kuran Kaname did not show weakness to anybody.

"And I've already told you, he's not here. Leave a note and when he gets back he'll talk to you." Yagari sucked on his cigarette. He didn't want to be here, he'd have preferred to be at the hospital, threatening every vampire doctor in earshot until he had answers. In the eight hours since Zero collapsed, Yagari had spoken to Kaien twelve times and Sayori six, being kept updated regularly about his student's condition.

And each time all he got was '_he's still unconscious_.' and '_we're still waiting for the doctor, he hasn't come back yet_.' The one that truly made him worry was his last one from Wakaba, the girl was sobbing so hard that Yagari had trouble piecing together what she was saying: '_Th-they took some b-b-b-blood and other stuff. T-t-the doctor s-s-said t-th-that we had to prepare o-o-ourselves for the w-w-w-worst! Oh God! Yagari-sensei...he looks so pale and small and weak! Z-Z-Zero is n-n-not s-s-suppose to be weak!_'

And now this bloodsucking Pureblood was distracting him when his thoughts should be with Zero. Yagari simply glared, pleased with the frustrated look that appeared in the vampire's eyes before he could squash and hide it. "Fine. Where is Kiriyuu, I can talk to him." The vampire ordered superiorly.

"Not here, either." Yagari bit out.

"Unless he's dropped down dead, I don't care if i'm disturbing him. Now where is he?" Kaname wanted answers and he was neither used to nor inclined to wait for them. Kaname watched as those pale blue eyes turned so cold and that face so hard and unforgiving, Kaname could easily see why Yagari was considered the best. The Hunter had bitten right through his cigarette; he tossed the two pieces into the trash can before fixing Kaname with that cold hard look.

"Zero's with Kaien." He said darkly.

Kaname was relieved. Finally they were getting somewhere. "And where might that be, Yagari-sensei?" He asked as politely as he could, he knew it came out condescending but a Pureblood never apologised to a creature that was below them.

"At St. Lucifer's." Yagari took a deep sadistic delight in the genuinely shocked face of the vampire. Kuran's face had become as pale as water and his dark eyes were large and round. But Yagari wasn't done. Before Kaname could ask the obvious follow up question, Yagari snapped out, "Zero collapsed earlier today."

"Why? Do you know how?" Kuran demanded immediately.

Yagari face contorted with fury, "Why the hell should I tell you? So you can go and make sure he stays that way? Or do you want to finish off the job? You got the girl, Kuran. Leave the boy alone. He doesn't need you."

"No, he just needs my blood." Kaname countered.

"Get out. Go to your dorm or better yet, go to hell. Either way I'll make sure you don't take one step near Zero." The look on Yagari's face told Kaname that fighting would be a waste of time and more than likely end with Yagari shooting him. Without another word, Kaname turned on his heel and left the headmaster's office.

**A/N: This is my first Vampire Knight fic and my first Yaoi one. Please review to tell me what you think!**


	2. Beginning the Nightmare

**A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. I was completely overwhelmed with how many people liked my story. I don't know if I wasn't clear in the last chapter. This isn't the first time I've written on FF but this is the first time I'm doing a VK fiction and Yaoi. I love Vampire Knight and the KxZ pairing so I thought I'd try one for myself. Anyway here's chapter two!**

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Beginning the Nightmare**_

Zero woke up to bright lights and a white tiled ceiling. He knew immediately he was no longer at Cross Academy. He didn't have a spotless white ceiling in his dorm room- it was a white but was patterned with plaster swirls. His room at the Chairman's house had a pale cream ceiling to match the walls. The only other place he'd been with a white ceiling was Kaito's apartment and his bedroom ceiling was distinguished by the large yellow water stain directly above his bed. No water stains here.

There were white sheets tucked up to his chin, covered with a warm pale yellow blanket. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see white walls and a bit of a white floor. This much white meant only one thing. He was in hospital. Immediately he struggled up, trying to free himself from the grips of the blankets and sheets. He had to get out. Get away.

"Hey, hey. Zero, it's alright." A soft feminine hand stroked his silvery hair back from his forehead. Blinking up into the concerned face of Wakaba Sayori calmed him more than any drug could have. As he stopped struggling, she helped him to sit up and propped the over-cushiony pillows behind him. "Do you remember what happened?" She asked as she sorted the sheets back in order. Zero twitched his lips into a minuscule smile. Trust her to do the practical before fussing.

"We...we were walking from class..." Zero trailed off when he saw outside. The curtains weren't drawn as it was pitch black outside. The bright hospital lights turned the glass into a mirror. Zero could see he wore hospital pyjamas and his hair was sticking up in all different directions. Last he remembered the sun wasn't even close to setting. "How long..."

"Nearly nine hours. It's half-eleven now." Sayori informed him quickly. "Chairman Cross had to leave to take care of some important business back at school. He said he'd be back as soon as possible." Sayori sat back down in the hard plastic chairs the hospital provided. "Yagari-sensei was here for a short while but the Association called him back. Swearing all the way, I might add." She told him, knowing it'd make him smile.

"What happened?" Zero finally asked, his throat was so dry and his voice came out as a croak. Sayori didn't say anything but reached over and picked up the glass of water on his bedside table. Next to it were two very familiar white pills, which she ignored. She helped him sip the water carefully, and when he was done, she replaced the now empty glass.

"You collapsed. I don't know what happened. One minute you were fine then you just..."She trailed off, remembering that heart-stopping moment Zero had crumpled to the floor outside their history classroom. "I know you don't want to hear it, but we've been worried about you." She finished softly.

Zero blinked at her. He remembered walking out of history with Sayori just in front of him. Then getting very dizzy- but that wasn't unusual, for the past three weeks he always seemed to be getting dizzy. But then there was only darkness. Had he really fainted? In front of all the Day Class? Zero groaned as humiliation and shame licked hot trails along his insides. He took small consolation in the fact the Night Class hadn't been there.

He was about to ask Sayori when Cross and Yagari were returning- he knew that with him in the hospital they'd wouldn't leave him alone there. Even though he knew Cross would coddle him to death until he felt like bashing the headmaster into a coma, he knew he secretly liked how Cross treated him like a 'normal' person. Not like an Ex-human vampire. Level E. Monster. Sayori seemed to anticipate his question as she spoke before he could open his mouth.

"Yagari-sensei phoned me to tell me he won't be able to come until early morning. Something about the mission, it can't be postponed, top secret and all that." The small eye-twitch told Zero exactly what Sayori thought about the Association calling Yagari away when Zero was in the hospital. "Chairman Cross should be back any minute..."

Even as she spoke, the door flew open and Chairman Cross stood there, looking concerned and out of breath. When he saw Zero propped up on numerous pillows awake and scowling as usual, Kaien threw open his arms and with a smile -that should by all laws of physics split his face in two- wildly flung them around Zero's neck in a bone crushing hug. "My precious, darling son is finally awake." He cooed even as Zero tried to dislodge him.

Sayori wondered if she was the only one who saw exactly what the Chairman was doing. By acting his usual overly enthusiastic self, he was giving Zero that semblance of normalcy. By over-acting as he usually did, Chairman Cross was acting as if nothing had gone wrong. She carefully hid a smile when Zero finally fought free of his adoptive father and was gasping for breath. "I'm not your son!" Was the first thing Zero managed to wheeze out, when he'd shoved the Chairman back so Kaien lay sprawled on the pale grey linoleum.

"Oooh! Don't be like that, Zero-rin!" Cross mock-scolded, his smile still firmly in place and he wagged his finger playfully at Zero as if the bedbound boy was a naughty puppy that had been caught chewing a shoe. Zero growled low in his throat but he was still too weak to do much else. His fists bunched and Zero wondered how much energy he'd exert getting up and blooding his adoptive father's nose. Sayori seemed to be able to read his mind because she quickly refilled his water glass and handed it to him.

She gave him a knowing look followed by an eye roll. Zero couldn't help his lips twitch into a tiny smile. Sayori always knew how to make him smile, no matter how terrible he felt. "_Einen Tag wird jemand ihn in eine Irrenanstalt zu nehmen..._" Zero murmured sleepily. Sayori looked over at him sharply, while the chairman stopped acting like a fool, she knew he had heard it too. Zero had spoken a different language.

"Zero? What did you say?" Sayori fought to keep the panic out of her voice. Zero's eyes fluttered shut and he unconsciously snuggled deeper into the pillows. "Zero!" Sayori called sharply. "What did you just say?"

"Mmm? I didn't say anything." Zero slurred before he dropped back to sleep.

Sayori shared a scared look with the Chairman. "Chairman, do you know what language he was speaking?" She asked, unable to cover the hitch in her voice.

"German." The voice was the doorway, answered for her. Yagari stood there in his brown leather jacket and battered cowboy hat, his face is stony and covered in dust. Clearly he'd come straight to the hospital from his mission. Sayori just hoped he wasn't bleeding anywhere as most the doctors were vampires. And all the patients were Level D's bordering on E's.

"German?" Sayori repeated softly. "I didn't know Zero spoke German."

"He doesn't." Yagari strode into the room and tossed his rifle into one of the chairs but still well within arm's reach if it was needed. "He said that one day someone will take Kaien to an insane asylum." Yagari ignored, Kaien's indignant snort and leant over and looked his student over carefully. If there was even an eyebrow hair out of place, he was shooting the next vampire doctor he saw.

"That would suggest he knew what he was saying..." Kaien had gotten over the insult and now his face looked like it was carved from stone.

"It's not the first time." Sayori told them. When both adults suddenly turned to her, Sayori blinked. "He spoke fluent French to me once and his book..." She quickly cut herself off. The notebook was for Zero's private thoughts. It was one thing for her to secretly peek at it; it was completely different to practically invite others to read it.

"French? And what book?" Yagari demanded. Sayori knew a lot of her fellow Day Class students thought Yagari-sensei was scary. In that moment, Sayori knew that they'd never seen this man truly scary. But she held her ground, meeting Yagari-sensei's pale blue eye and staying stubbornly silent. "What book, Wakaba!" Yagari snapped, his cool composure coming apart at the seams at the mere notion Zero might be worst than he'd originally thought.

"It's a diary of sorts, Toga." Kaien finally told him. "Sayori-san brought Zero a notebook where he could write down his most intimate thoughts as he dislikes talking about them." The former Hunter explained, his face set into sad lines.

"And you've read it? Does he know?" Yagari looked at Sayori with his visible eye although his face was still turned to Zero; she shook her head to answer his second question as the first was redundant. She wouldn't have said she had read the book if she hadn't. She was not liar. Yagari's face shifted slightly, giving Sayori a clearer view of the Hunter. She saw a lot of things in that eye, what looked like annoyance but also trust and pride.

"Most of it was in different languages." Sayori told them. "I couldn't read them." Not a complete lie. She had started translating the Latin but so far it wasn't making much sense to her. The French translations were still burned into her head like they'd been branded there with hot iron. But she wouldn't betray Zero's trust by sharing what she had found with his father (adopted) or his teacher.

Kaien seemed to sense they wouldn't get any more out of the girl as he turned back to the silver haired boy on the bed and stroked back those tousled locks away from a pale face. Shadows still stood out starkly under his eyes but in sleep he'd lost that tightly drawn pained look he seemed to have been wearing for weeks. Yagari looked like he was about to press Sayori for more answers to Zero's sudden language skills when a vampire in a white lab coat and carrying a clipboard walked in.

On the Hunter's radar he noted the vampire was a Level C. As common as dust and easily taken care of, was Yagari's instinctive first thought. Still, he picked up his anti-vampire gun and slung it casually over his arm. The vampire gave the black haired Hunter a wary look but smiled at Sayori and Kaien politely enough. "Zero woke up just now, but he'd gone back to sleep. What news do you have, Dr. Mori?" Kaien asked.

Dr. Mori looked at the three awake occupants before landing on the sleeping boy on the bed. "I've gotten the results of the blood test we took. As far as we can tell there is nothing wrong with Kiriyuu Zero." Before he could be shouted at from three sides and that Hunter had a nasty looking rifle propped over one arm, Mori spoke again. "We'll need to keep him for observation for a couple of days at least. One doesn't fall unconscious for nine hours if there's nothing wrong with them." He explained.

**-LineBreak- **

Kaname stared out of his bedroom window, his mind in turmoil. Seiren had informed him that Yagari had left an hour ago. Going towards St. Lucifer's. Going to Kiriyuu. What on earth happened? What had caused Kiriyuu to collapse? Kaname had known many Level Ds to fall to E's. It was inevitable if the ex-human hadn't drunk their creator's blood immediately after the first bite. Even those that drank the blood later in life were in danger of becoming an E.

And Kiriyuu hadn't had Hiou Shizuka's blood until four years after his turning. But none of those sorry souls he'd seen or heard of, ever collapsed during the transition. If anything the beasts got stronger. Their bloodlust and vampire instincts overriding their morals and any rational thought they might have had.

Kaname wasn't blind. He could see the signs of a body degrading every time he laid eyes on the acid-tongued Hunter. But the Level D's body was degrading like he was human, not a vampire. Whatever was happening to Kiriyuu, it was not good. Kaname didn't know why that bothered him so much. The sound of cracking glass made Kaname turn to the window. It now had a large fissure down one of the panes.

Kaname consciously reined in his temper that recently began to flow free when he thought about Kiriyuu's predictable fate. And with the boy in hospital...Kaname glanced suspiciously at his bedroom door. If he'd lost enough control to nearly shatter his bedroom window, then the lesser vampires downstairs must have felt it. Including Yuuki. Yuuki. Kaname sighed.

Hadn't he done everything in his power to make up for her lost time as a Pureblood? But the girl who stared out at him from Yuuki's face wasn't the girl he'd loved throughout her childhood. He didn't recognise her anymore. The first time she'd barged past Kiriyuu as if he was nothing more than scenery, had opened Kaname's eyes more than he wanted them opened. The look on the Hunter's face had told Kaname that Kiriyuu didn't recognise Yuuki anymore either.

Kaname waved his hand impatiently at the ruined window, instantly the glass stitched itself together. Although he still had a few hours before the sun began coming up, Kaname swiftly changed into his bedclothes. He had a headache and he couldn't think of one good reason to remain awake. As he crawled under the covers, he had a foolishly human thought: maybe when he woke, everything would make sense.

**-LineBreak- **

Aidou knew the punishment for sneaking out, especially since Kaname-sama came back from the Headmaster's office he was in such a bad mood. But curiosity drove him to find out the two major things that had happened today. One was to find out what had put his Pureblood master in such a state. The other: find out where all the cute Day Class girls had been during class change-over. He knew that if they were caught, Kaname-sama would not be pleased. Good thing he brought Akatsuki along then.

Luck was on their side when they run into one of the Day Class teachers. They were much easier to fool then the Night Class teachers. She blinked at them as if she really wasn't sure they were there or not. "Aidou-san. Kain-san. Classes are over. Why are you out of your dorms?" She asked, her head tilting to the side.

Aidou had a plan just in case they were caught by a teacher. He solemnly held up his notes from his maths class. "I forgot my notes, Sensei. I asked Akatsuki to come with me to get them." He watched as the teacher's face cleared from slightly suspicious to understanding, her homey face breaking into a sweet smile.

"Ah, that's quite alright, Aidou-san. Some of the Day Class would have used that as an excuse for not doing their homework. It's nice to see that the Night Class are serious about their studies here." She told them, unknowingly giving Aidou the perfect opening to one of his queries.

"Speaking about the Day Class, we didn't see them at Change-over today. We missed them." Aidou murmured, keeping his voice low and hypnotic. Although it wasn't as powerful as Purebloods control, he did have a slight weave over people.

Evidence of this was in the teacher's drowsy face, her half lidded eyes and flushed cheeks made her look half-asleep. But she answered him clearly, "you mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Aidou pressed.

"Kiriyuu-san collapsed after his history class. They rushed him to hospital. The Headmaster cancelled the rest of the Day classes and told the students not to come out under the threat of expulsion. He and Wakaba-san went with Kiriyuu-san to the hospital."

"What was wrong with him?" Kain asked in alarm. He could see the wear on the ex-human prefect, especially over the past two weeks but he never thought it was serious enough to cause the boy to faint. He had just assumed the boy was falling to Level E. His voice wasn't as soothing or spellbinding as his cousin's and the teacher blinked sleepily as she tried to regain what had just happened.

"We don't know." She answered Kain, looking confused. "The headmaster came back shortly before eleven to fill out some forms but he left fifteen minutes later. Yagari-san was here to fill out as the headmaster while Cross-san was with Kiriyuu but he went to the hospital shortly after talking to Kuran-san."

"Yagari talked to Kaname-sama? What about?" Aidou demanded sharply.

The teacher's face cleared and she frowned at the two Night Class students. "I believe it was a private matter. You should really be getting back to your dorms, gentlemen." As they were obviously not going to get any more answers out of her, Aidou and Kain turned back to the Moon Dorms, the Day Class teacher watching them go.

**-LineBreak- **

Takuma and Shiki watched Yumi play vigorously with the shoelaces of Takuma's school shoes. They could feel Kaname's temper from the common room, so they'd decided to hide out in their shared bedroom until their Pureblood leader had calmed down. They also used the time to talk about what had been weighing on both their minds for two months. Since Yuuki had awoken to her Pureblood heritage.

"She's a completely different person." Takuma murmured as he picked Yumi up and cuddled her in his lap. Usually animals were extremely frightened of vampires, their primal instincts informing them that these creatures were dangerous and not to be trusted. But some could grow accustomed to vampires- the only cases this had happened though were when the animal had been with the vampire since they were born. Yumi was now such an animal.

The tabby snuggled into her owner's silk shirt, knowing something was wrong but unsure of how she could make things better. "I preferred her as human." Shiki said his tone and face were both emotionless. But he did reach over and scratch the top of Yumi's orange head.

"Purebloods have a lot of power at their fingertips. Much more than humans could even dream of. Lower vampires scurry to please Purebloods every whim, even Nobles. It's ingrained into us to serve the top of the food chain. Yuuki-sama only remembers her life as a human; she is unaccustomed to so many itching to do her every command." Takuma was uncharacteristically sombre. "Perhaps when she has become more comfortable with her new status, she'll be as she was before."

"I doubt it. No one changes the amount she has just because they need to adapt." Shiki told him. Takuma let Yumi back on to the floor and reached over to kiss his boyfriend sweetly on the lips. His tongue skilfully entered Shiki's mouth, exploring the cavern again and again. One of them moaned. Shiki's arms reached up and wrapped tightly around the blonde vampire.

Takuma lifted his mouth from Shiki's. "No more depressing thoughts." He asked. Shiki's answer was to tighten his hold on Takuma and bring their mouths together again. Takuma slowly lowered Shiki to the bed and engrossed himself in studying every inch of the redheaded boy. And Takuma's request for no more depressing thoughts was accepted and replaced with thoughts of each other.

**-LineBreak-**

Yuuki flicked firmly at one of the bubbles in her bath. Her long hair was floating around her in the water and the water was warm and soothing. But she'd found she was unable to relax. After their classes, Rima and Ruka had apologetically informed her they couldn't help her with her maths homework due to already made plans to go into town before the sun rose. Aidou and Kain had snuck out to find out what had happened to the Day Class girls at Change-over and Kaname had disappeared to talk urgently with the headmaster.

She couldn't see why she could have gone with him. After all, Cross Kaien was her adopted father. But Kaname had left immediately after they were let out their last class and he had told no one where he was going. Yuuki huffed out a breath. When Kaname had awoken her, she had been overwhelmed by her senses, the power she held and the amount of respect and admiration the Night Class had for her.

But she soon realised that she was entitled to it. After all didn't she spend ten years being a pathetic weak human while her brother got all the attention and respect? Kaname loved her, treated her like no one else did, and drowned her in affection and love and attention. But she deserved it. After all, he had to make up for leaving her human for as long as he did.

And as her thoughts often did when they were turned to her previous human life, they drifted to Kiriyuu Zero. Her face twisted with bitterness and hate. She didn't know it, but hate for Zero had infested her heart and turned it to ash. At first, when she first returned to being a Pureblood, she'd thought she could stay friends with the Level E Hunter. But she knew now, that was an impossibility. Kiriyuu was just too far below her on the pecking order.

Royalty did not fraternise with the sewer rats.

Yuuki got out the bath and towelled herself dry, her thoughts still as black and rotten as old fruit. She mentally shook herself from thinking about Kiriyuu- who cared about him anymore? Not she. Instead, her thoughts turned to Kaname. He'd be back from talking with the Headmaster by now. She dressed carefully in her bedclothes. The short nightgown made of red lace and silk that she'd brought especially for occasions like these. She took a long black satin dressing gown and slipped out her room.

She'd barely gotten three steps when she was stopped by Seiren. The lavender haired vampire was one of the few in Kaname's inner circle that hadn't bent over backwards to make Yuuki's life easier. Instead Kaname's bodyguard acted as she always had, barely taking note of Yuuki unless Kaname instructed her to. For that reason alone, Yuuki hated her.

"Yuuki-sama, you should not be up so late. The sun is already rising." Seiren informed her in her usual expressionless tone.

"I'm going to see my brother." Yuuki told her primly and made to barge pass Seiren. In an instant, the short haired vampire was in front of the Pureblood princess, effectively blocking her path.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Yuuki-sama. Kaname-sama has ordered no one to come near him today. He wishes for solitude. That includes you Yuuki-sama." Seiren told her. Yuuki felt like hitting her, but if it got back to Kaname, that would do her no good. No man wanted a girl who could fend for herself- that was why Kaname and the Night Class did everything for her, so she could be the perfect princess.

"I see. Thank you Seiren." Yuuki smiled at the Noble vampire with sickening sweetness before she turned back to her room. Seiren ignored her. Instead she carefully pulled the heavy drape back from the window in the hall and peered carefully out. The real reason she was here was because this window had the perfect view of the entrance gate to the school and Kaname-sama wanted to know when the Level D returned from the hospital.

Seiren had never really liked the imprudent Ex-Human. He was disrespectful, rude and often a threat to Kaname-sama but then, one time she'd seen a different side to him. A side she swore she'd never expect to see on someone like him. It had during the two days he was absent from his Prefect duties. Kaname had sent her to see if she could find out a cause.

And she found the Hunter in the stables. She'd kept back, going so far to hide in a tree so she wouldn't spook the horses and alert the Prefect to her presence, but through the open door she saw him sleeping deeply next to one of the stalls. The stall housed White Lily. Even though the Night Class didn't do horseback riding due to the horses' fear of them, she knew about White Lily.

They'd heard the Day Class girls talk about her enough. The Untameable One. Too wild to let anyone go near her. Except, Kiriyuu Zero it would appear. The horse seemed completely content having the Level D vampire sleep next to her stall. Seiren wasn't easily surprised. But she admitted it to herself that she was surprised when she saw the horse reach over the short wooden wall and nuzzle the boy's hair, in a motherly fashion. She watched as Kiriyuu blinked up at the horse and a soft smile spread over his features.

Who knew Kiriyuu had a smile that beautiful? Seiren was convinced Kiriyuu didn't even know how to smile let alone he could.

Still, she watched as the boy got up, brushing stray strands of hay from his shoulders and back. He fished around his pocket and came out with a glossy green apple. He brought it up to his lips before he paused. Looking grey and in need of a full day's sleep the silver-haired boy offered the apple to the horse. "Here, Lily. You have it, I'm not hungry." Even though his voice was low and rasped, Seiren could easily hear him.

Seiren thought he looked like he needed the apple more than White Lily. In fact, Kiriyuu looked like he could do with several decent meals. His skin stretched tightly over his bones, his cheekbones- which were already sharp- were prominent in the boy's gaunt face. His eyes were sunken and his whole demeanour was frightfully fragile. As the horse happily crunched into the offered apple, he checked his watch and his eyes widened. "Two days! How could I have slept for two days?"

Seiren kept the opinion that he obviously needed to sleep for two more to herself.

Instead Kiriyuu picked up his school bag and pulled out a spare uniform shirt and trousers and began changing right there. Seiren's eyes widened when she saw how thin his chest and waist had gotten, she could count how many ribs he had and his collar bones looked ready to snap. When he began to undo his trousers, she respectfully closed her eyes until she heard him zip his clean pair up. He was already leaving while shrugging into his blazer. Seiren could still smell horses on him, but he clearly had some deodorant with him as it was faint enough that the Day Class wouldn't notice anything.

As he passed under her tree he suddenly looked up right at her. Seiren blinked back at him. She would not show any weakness in front of him. "As this is the first time I've caught you out here, I'll let you go. If I catch you again I'll send you back to your Kaname-sama." He told her before he turned to go. Seiren felt a strange level of respect for the hunter. He knew she'd seen him at his weakest but he would not attempt to bride her silence or threaten it. He continued to do his job as a guardian.

Seiren blinked herself out of the memory when she saw the sun was fully risen and four figures making their way through the entrance gate. Three of them surrounded a fourth that was obviously very weak. Seiren turned to Kaname-sama's room, to inform him that Kiriyuu Zero had returned to Cross Academy with Wakaba Sayori and Cross and Yagari.

**-LineBreak-**

Zero groaned awake for the second time, to see Sayori fast asleep in one of the uncomfortable white plastic visitor's chairs the hospital provided. She was slumped over his bed, using her folded arms as a makeshift pillow. And she wasn't the only one. Cross was curled up in his seat like a cat, his head resting on his knees. Yagari still had his gun in his limp hands, his head hanging off the back of the chair. The pulse point on his neck was clearly visible.

Zero viciously turned his head away. It had been too long since he last had blood. His eyes fell on the water pitcher and two blood tablets. Even though he knew he couldn't keep them down. They'd help with the raw burning of his throat. Careful not to look at any of the three sleeping people in his room, Zero poured a glass of water and dropped both tablet in. He drank it down in three gulps.

"Zero?" Sayori asked sleepily. Shortly after the doctor had left, they'd waited for Zero to wake up, at least this time it was a deep natural sleep rather than a near coma. She saw the boy, the glass still stained red from the blood tablets in his hands, a dribble running down his chin. But his eyes were their usual lilac.

"What time is it?" Zero croaked out, his voice was rusty from disuse.

Sayori checked her watch. "Five in the morning." She told him. Their voice woke Kaien and Yagari from their sleep. Both adults yawned and rubbed their eyes free of sleep and looked extremely relived that Zero was awake again. Yagari stood up, cracking the bones in his back as he stretched. "I'll get the doctor." He told them, even as he was out the door.

"There is no need." Dr. Mori said as he slipped through the door, stopping Yagari. Behind him was a Level C nurse. She glanced warily at Zero and Yagari, as she wheeled a trolley with different needles and other hospital equipment carefully laid out on the sterilised surface, she pushed the trolley to the corner of Zero's bed, bowed respectfully at Mori and left without a word.

Mori picked up the empty syringe and approached Zero. "We need to take some more blood." Zero kept his face carefully blank as the doctor inserted the needle into his arm and drew out the blood. Zero was thankful for the scent-proof equipment the doctor used, knowing that the smell of his own blood would only increase his bloodlust.

The doctor next picked up a heavy form and gave it to Kaien. "We need parent and/or guardian to sign that for a CAT scan." The doctor explained. He took a thermometer and placed it under Zero's tongue.

Sayori blinked. "A CAT scan? Why?"

"If the problem is not to do with his blood, then it must be his brain. A CAT scan will allow us to see into his brain without harming him." The doctor explained.

"He is right here and doesn't want a CAT scan." Zero's words were slightly muffled with the thermometer but his expression told them all they needed to know. "I'm eighteen tomorrow. Legally that mean I'm an adult. I want to discharge myself."

"Your eighteen tomorrow, legally I have twenty-four hours before you can make your own decisions. Cross-san if you please sign those forms." Mori said.

"Don't even think about it!" Zero snapped.

"Zero, if it can help us find out what's making you sick, it's worth a shot. I know you don't like hospitals but what's really got you spooked, kid?" Yagari spoke firmly.

"I don't want to spend my birthday in here. I want to go home." Zero spoke very quietly to his hands, not looking up at any of them.

Mori ran a hand through his sandy hair. "I can understand that. You said tomorrow's your birthday? Well how about this. I discharge you but you have you give your word that you'll get plenty of bed rest and in three days- the day after your birthday, you come back to the hospital and get a CAT scan done. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes." Zero breathed, his face showed how much he was thankful to get out of the hospital.

Mori turned to Kaien and Yagari. "I expect you to take good care of him. He's to have three glasses of blood a day- fresh if you can get and feed his liquids only. You can get dressed, Kiriyuu-san, I'll get the discharge papers." Mori took the forms from Kaien and left.

Sayori left while Yagari and Kaien helped Zero get dressed. At the front desk they signed all the necessary forms and Yagari drove them home. "You'll stay in the main house, and Sayori you'll move there too, so you can help Zero-rin!" Cross told them as he unbuckled himself and went around the car to help Zero. He was pushed away by the silver haired teen.

"I'm fine." Zero growled, but when Sayori pressed close to him, offering silent support. He thankfully took it.

"Let's get you inside, Zero." She murmured as they slowly made their way back into the school, against a rising sun.

They were unaware of the eyes following them from the Moon Dorms.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Chapter two done. Hope you enjoy. **

**Someone wrote to me to point out Sayori comes from a rich family so why would she pale at buying Zero a husky. I'd like to point out that Sayori is still only sixteen/seventeen and hardly in charge of her family's fortune. And huskies are very pricey depending on the type you get; they can range between £800-£2000 or $1270-$3176. Anyway please review and tell me what you think. **


	3. Not an Ordinary Birthday

**A/N: Again, thank you for the kind reviews! Here's chapter three. And you meet my OCs in this chapter!**

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Not an Ordinary Birthday**_

Kaname waited until lunch time when it was least likely he'd come across Day Class students on a Saturday, to go to the Chairman and get his answers. As he expected, Cross Kaien was behind his desk, doing paperwork. Yagari, thankfully was nowhere in sight but Kaname could still smell him so he was probably still in the house somewhere. "I wondered when you'd come, Kaname-kun. Toga told me to expect you." Kaien murmured softly, without looking up. The change in him for the past twenty-four hours was immense. Kaien's face was pinched, pale shadows dogged eyes that had lost their usual twinkle.

Since Kaname had known him this was the first time he thought Kaien actually looked like a Hunter. "What happened to Kiriyuu?" Kaname demanded as he took the seat opposite Kaien. His posture was of one idling his time away before something more important cropped up, but Kaname's mind was focused on every move, every word the Headmaster made or said.

"He collapsed after his history class. Toga said he'd already told you as much." Kaien said, frowning over the top of his glasses.

"But not after. He didn't say anything about what happened at the hospital." Kaname pointed out coolly. Why wouldn't anyone just give him a clear answer? It seemed Yagari and Kaien were being very coy about the information they dished out about Kiriyuu's condition. It was almost as if they didn't want him to know anything.

Kaien sighed, "I admit I'm surprised as to why you're concerned about him Kaname-kun. You have hardly been Zero-rin's friend theses past years."

"My concern lies with the school. Its safety will be compromised and the existence of vampires put out into the open if Kiriyuu is indeed falling to a Level E." Kaname explained smoothly.

"Strange how you didn't mention Yuuki. Isn't she worried about Zero?" Kaien knew mentioning her was driving a knife deep into both their hearts but he needed Kaname to say it. For both their sakes.

"Yuuki...has changed...since she has awakened. She's no longer the girl we knew as a human..." Kaname trailed off, not wanting to remember how Yuuki was so cheerful and kind and warm before her change to a vampire. His thoughts were often of 'did he turn her too early? Too late?' or 'what if she was supposed to have stayed human?' But it was too late for what ifs. Pureblood vampires could only be turned human once, at the sacrifice of a close blood relative. His mother had already made that sacrifice for Yuuki. And he'd broken the chains on her mind and body; they could not be forged again.

"Yes. She has." Kaien said heavily. "But what has this got to do with Zero?" He asked, the swift change of subject didn't surprise Kaname, he didn't want delve any deeper to why Yuuki had changed so drastically either.

"I only wish to know of his condition for the reasons I have already stated." Kaname replied without missing a beat. Kaien nodded.

"The doctors have found nothing wrong with him." Kaien started only to be cut off by Kaname.

"No one faints and stays unconscious for several hours if there is nothing wrong with them." Kaname snapped.

"Yes I know that. I'm just telling you what I heard at the hospital." Kaien said testily, showing how much Zero's illness was truly worrying him. Kaname felt contrite, not that he showed Kaien that. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Kaien cared with his flamboyant and carefree attitude towards life. "They wanted to do a CAT scan but Zero discharged himself."

"I didn't realise that Kiriyuu had already turned eighteen." Kaname murmured, trying to remember when Kiriyuu's birthday was, thinking back to when Yuuki was human; she must have told him at one point. But back then the Hunter wasn't anything more than an annoying blip in his peripheral vision. Wasn't it just after Christmas? Or was it just before?

"He turns eighteen tomorrow." Kaien explained, "He didn't want to spend his birthday in the hospital." Kaien pinched the bridge of his nose. "He convinced the doctor to let him go home and to return for the scan the day after his birthday."

"Is that likely? Once Kiriyuu is eighteen he is considered an adult. He can refuse the scan without having to consult his guardian." Kaname pointed out.

"But he won't. When Zero makes a promise, he does everything in his power to keep it." Kaien told Kaname firmly.

"I see." Kaname couldn't think of anything else to say to that. They lapsed into silence as they each were caught up in their private thoughts.

"Kaien." The voice jarred the Chairman and the Pureblood from their thoughts as if he had just thrown both out of a high flying plane. Yagari Toga lent against the doorframe, a cigarette dangling from his lips and his cold blue eyes looking at them as if he might have to shoot them in second's notice with the gun strapped to his back. In other words how he always looked. "The kid's awake."

Kaname stood up, "It is imperative that I speak with him." Kaname told Yagari with the authority he was born with.

Yagari didn't move, his face didn't change at all but one word stopped Kaname as the Pureblood made for the door. "No."

"No?" Kaname repeated in a hiss. How dare he say 'no' to him?

"Kaname-kun, is that wise? Zero is very sick. He needs rest, and while I understand you are concerned about him exposing you and your kind, my concerns are with my son." Kaien told him gravely. "I must ask you to allow him to rest. Let the doctors do their job and get him well before you question him."

Kaname nodded shortly and brushed past Yagari arrogantly to the main door. He could understand Kaien's distress for Kiriyuu as a father. He could understand Yagari's immoveable protection over his student. What he couldn't understand was why he felt as though both men had punched in the stomach one after the other for not allowing him to see Zero- wait Zero? It didn't matter; he told himself all that mattered was seeing the boy. And Kaname wasn't a Pureblood for nothing. He circled around the building and pulled a deep cloak over his aura, before climbing a tree opposite Zero's childhood bedroom's window.

He could see clearly through the open curtains, although he couldn't a get a good view of Zero, but he could see a tuff of silvery hair and the outline of his body under the thick duvets. He could see Wakaba Sayori easily enough, as she helped her fellow prefect sit up. That was better; he could see some of Zero's face now. The Ex-Human did not look well. His face was paper white, the shadows under those exotic eyes still looked like they were painted there with permanent marker and, as he watched the boy brush his hair out of his face; the bones in his wrist looked impossibly frail.

He watched as Sayori poured a glass of water and hand it to Zero. The silvette's hand trembled uncontrollably, dangerously coming close to sloshing the water. Sayori didn't reach out and help him; instead she fished through the bedside drawer and came back with a penknife. As she brought the sharp tip to her wrist, Zero's hand shot out and caught the knife, stopping her from cutting herself.

Thank God for Pureblood vampire hearing, Kaname thought. With his distance and the window, if he was anything less, he wouldn't have been able to hear a thing. But he could hear exactly what they were saying. 'You need fresh blood, Zero. The doctor said so.' Sayori's voice was firm. She made to bring the penknife back to her wrist but Kiriyuu's grip only tightened.

'The blood tablets are fine. I'm not...I don't need it.' Zero said, his voice was rough and barely a whisper but his eyes spoke volumes when he looked up at the caramel-haired girl. Meanwhile, Kaname kicked himself mentally. Why hadn't he thought about giving his blood to the Hunter? His blood was rich and potent; it would heal Zero of anything wrong with him. Even as the bedroom door opened, revealing Cross and Yagari, Kaname had slipped down from his tree and was making his way back to the Moon Dorms. He knew that with Yagari there, there was no way he'd let him feed Zero.

He'll come back at night, when the other Night Class went into town and the humans were asleep and make Zero drink then. In private. And he could question him about what was happening.

**-LineBreak-**

Sayori glanced at the two adults as they crowded into Zero's bedroom at the main house; Zero was propped up on his pillow, ignoring her with a determined air. The penknife had been lost when Zero had thrown it across the room, and it skittered under the wardrobe. And she was not going to cut herself with a dusty blade. Who knew what was lurking under there? Zero hadn't stayed in this room since he moved to the Sun Dorms and the Chairman didn't seem to be a big fan of the Hoover.

"Who was just here?" She asked cautiously. It wasn't in her nature to be nosey but if it was threat to Zero, there was nothing in this world that could stop her from protecting him. Zero eyed them wearily, he looked like he might drop off to sleep at any moment and his hands trembled slightly on the duvet.

"Kuran." Yagari spat out as if it was filth. "Senior." He added as an afterthought, remembering that Yuuki went by Kuran as well now.

"What was he doing here?" Zero asked; he broke off with a hacking cough. When he brought his hand away, he quickly hid it from the others. Sayori frowned but otherwise didn't say anything. It hadn't been until after they got back from the hospital that Zero had developed the cough, but he'd told her it was just because he had dust in his throat or other pathetic excuses.

Yagari reached to grab Zero's hand but the boy slid it under the covers before his teacher could touch him. "Zero..." Yagari growled menacingly, Sayori could easily see who Zero fashioned his own Death Glare after...Yagari's one-eye glare was terrifying.

"I'm fine...So what was that vampire doing here?" Zero directed his question at Cross, effectively cutting off anything Yagari was about to say.

"He wished to know how you were doing." Cross told them, as he flopped into a rickety wooden chair. "He wanted to make sure you were okay." Cross chose his words very carefully. He knew that a single wrong word could cause Zero was likely to fly off the handle so to speak.

Zero merely blinked at him. "You mean he wanted to make sure I wasn't turning into an E and threatening the existence of his disgusting race." Zero corrected coldly. Did the headmaster really think he was going to fall for such a ridiculous lie?

While Kaien blustered at Zero's straightforwardness Yagari only nodded curtly. "That's a vampire for you. Only ever caring about themselves." The dark haired Hunter hissed, as he rooted through his pockets, looking for where he'd left his cigarettes. He finally found a crumpled box and greedily lit one and sucked on it.

"Toga!" Kaien squealed, horrified by his friend's harsh words and reverting back to his usual ostentatious attitude. "That's not the type of attitude I'm promoting here!"

"Whatever." Yagari and Zero both droned, looking bored. They'd heard the Headmaster's complaints about their Hunter outlook on vampires before. Sayori stifled a giggle, Yagari-sensei and Zero looked so alike in that single moment.

Sayori looked up at Yagari-sensei and sighed; she took out Silver Edge and placed it on her palm. Zero's eyes widened and Yagari and Cross realising what the girl was going to do, made a subtle get away. Even as Zero reached for the Hunter weapon, Sayori dragged it along her wrist, being a blade as well as infused with anti-vampire magic, blood welled up from the cut. Zero froze, his eyes burned red with hunger, a long whimper sounded from deep within his throat.

"Drink, Zero." She told him. It was all the invitation he needed. But he was still so very careful, very gentle. His hand cupped her elbow, bending it slightly so he didn't have to twist her arm to get to her bleeding wrist. His eyes met hers, waiting. Sayori gave one sharp nod, and his fangs sank in over the cut. The pain was sharper than she expected and made tears sting her eyes. But she stayed very still, waiting for Zero to finish.

She felt him release her, and lick the wound with immense gentleness. So many people were unaware of how gentle Zero truly was, Sayori thought. Not even Yuuki really understood his true nature. When he raised his head, his eyes were lavender once more and instead of hunger they burned with shame. "I'm sorry." He muttered brokenly against her wrist.

Sayori stroked his hair back as a mother might have done to her child. "Don't be. It was my choice." She reminded him. Zero yawned and shifted so he was lying down again. "Goodnight Zero. I'll be just down the hall, okay?" She stood to go.

"Sleep tight." She heard Zero whisper from behind her as she walked out the door.

**-LineBreak-**

When she got to her borrowed room, Sayori lifted the mattress of her bed and carefully retrieved the paper and book she had stashed there. She only needed to translate the last three sentences of the Latin Zero had written down and then, maybe she could see what was wrong with her friend. "_Curritur. Iam pridem nobis oblitus decurrentes. Tantum scio fata est stopping morte peior__._" Sayori was sure she mangled the words as she spoke them aloud. She consulted her book, and wrote down each word carefully. Not looking at the sentences until they were finished.

When she read what she had written, her face paled. "'We run. I have forgotten what we are running from. Only that stopping is a fate worse than death.'" She whispered to herself. "Oh, Zero what is happening to you?"

She reread the entire passage; going over each line for each line might hold a hidden clue.

'_The woods are thick, brambles snag on our boots as we hurry._ _They are gaining on us. The blonde girl- hair like winter grass of the Highland Moor flows from beneath the top hat she wears at an angle- she trips and falls. I hear her shout for us to keep going. Never stop. But I cannot leave her there. I hurry back for her. Picking her up in my arms it feels as though she weighs no more than feather. The redhead with the tattoo under her left eye looks behind us, wearing black breeches, riding boots, black velvet jacket with tails and a black and red pinstripe vest over a crisp white shirt and dark red scarf-tie. Her face is filled with determination. She tells me that we must keep moving. I already know this. The thought run through my mind like a stream, Hurry, hurry, hurry. We run. I have long forgotten what we are running from. I only know that stopping is a fate worse than death._"

Sayori closed the book sharply, the translated piece trapped inside. She didn't want to read anymore. But... the passage mentioned Highland Moor...with a capitol. Like it was a place. Sayori slipped out of her room and down the hall, careful to be quiet when she passed Zero's bedroom. It was still too early for the vampires, and the Day Class should be going to library to finish their homework.

So it was the computer in Cross' office, Sayori headed for.

She silently started up the computer and cursed under her breath when the screen popped up asking for a password. The man rarely remembered to shave but he had his computer under a password. "It's Heiwa." A deep baritone told her from the doorway. Yagari stood there, his hands in his pockets. "Why are you trying to get into Cross' computer, anyway?"

"Heiwa? Peace, I suppose that's obvious really. And I need to look up something." She muttered as she typed it in.

"What?"

"Highland Moors. It might help us with Zero." Sayori said as she connected to the internet. She felt, rather than saw Yagari come up to the desk and sit on the edge of it so he could see the monitor.

"Did he say something to you?" Yagari asked. Sayori gave a noncommittal hum.

"Here. Highland Moor, Culloden Moor. That's Scotland." Sayori tapped the screen with her finger. "Zero's never been out of Japan before- how would he know what Scotland looked like?" Sayori turned to Yagari and saw reflected in his single eye, the same worry and fear that gnawed her. Just what was happening to Zero?

**-LineBreak-**

It was midnight before Kaname managed to get away from the rest of the Night Class, Yuuki in particular. Aidou hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut and had told all the vampires that Kiriyuu had collapsed and was rushed to St. Lucifer's yesterday afternoon. Which of course brought out an explanation how he and Kain had found out, Aidou and Kain's punishment for sneaking out was to remain behind on campus while the rest of the Night Class could go out into town.

Kaname didn't really mind the blonde vampire sneaking out and finding out what had happened because strangely enough, it made the vampires respect Kiriyuu rather than shun him. The bad news was that Yuuki was now attached to him as if she'd stuck superglue to herself before she hugged him. He'd finally gotten rid of her by asking Ruka to take her clothes shopping- he did feel a smidgeon of guilt for that as he knew how Ruka felt about Yuuki and he knew she'd never decline one of his requests.

But the ash blonde agreed and she led Yuuki rather forcefully from the dorms, at first Yuuki refused to go, until Ruka stated that Yuuki needed a new dress worthy of a vampire princess for the Christmas Ball that was fast approaching. Then Yuuki swept from the dorms with Ruka and Rima in tow, both Noble vampires knew that all they had to do was say Yuuki needed something to better herself as a princess and she would go without question.

Kaname however couldn't have cared less. He went directly to Zero's room when he heard the gate swing shut behind the departing Night Students. He went through the window. It was easier and got him to Zero faster than having to open the door. Zero was sleeping, fitfully. His head jerking from one side to the other and his limbs thrashing against the white cotton sheets, he made low whimpers and grunts, clearly distressed.

"Zero-kun." Kaname whispered, trying to wake the boy. "Zero! Wake up!" He whispered louder. Zero jerked awake with a hoarse scream and in reflex nearly socked Kaname in the eye. Kaname caught Zero's wrist before his fist could make contact and waited for the silver haired hunter to get his bearings before talking again.

As Zero blinked and focused on Kaname's face. "Kuran? What the hell are you doing here?" He tried to tug his hand back, Kaname held it a split-second longer than necessary, enjoying the feel of the warm skin and pulse point under his fingers, before he realised what his was doing and dropped the limb as if it burned.

"I heard you fainted. You really must be more careful..." Kaname started only to be cut short.

"Yeah, yeah, 'cause I could make the humans realise you bloodsuckers actually exist." Zero muttered darkly as he rubbed the skin that Kaname had touched, wondering why it tingled.

"That doesn't matter. I came to feed you." Kaname waved Zero's words away.

"Feed me? What am I, your goldfish?" Zero snapped, outraged.

"Keep your voice down. Sayori-san is only down the hall. Do you really want her to see this?" Kaname asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's stronger than you give her credit for, Kuran. Anyway, I don't need your blood..." Zero trailed off, not wanting Kaname to know he'd fed off her. He truly was a monster wasn't he...always taking from those closest to him. He didn't notice Kaname suddenly stiffen, and look to the door.

"I gave him some." The female voice brought Zero out of his thoughts the same way a magnet picked up lead filings. Sayori stood in the doorway, watching them with such intensity that Zero couldn't stop the pale pink blush rise to his cheeks even though he wasn't doing anything.

"How did you hide yourself?" Kaname asked, annoyed. He hadn't smelt, heard or sensed the girl until she opened the door. He did not like to be caught unawares.

"My room has a seal over it to stop scents entering. It's also sound-proofed." Zero told him, "In case I..." The others didn't need the last part of that sentence. 'In case I give in to bloodlust so I won't hear their hearts and go rip their throats out.'

"Then how did you know Zero was awake?" Kaname was confused. Sayori merely nodded to Zero's beside table. Kaname frowned. "Is that a baby monitor?" He asked in amazement. Sayori simply nodded and Zero's blush deepened. "You heard him wake up." Another nod from the girl, Zero fidgeted with his duvet, scowling at it like it had done him a personal wrong.

"I gave him some of my blood this afternoon." Sayori said holding up her bandaged wrist as proof. "The doctor said we had to give him fresh blood when possible."

"My blood has healing properties. It could heal Zero." Kaname pointed out.

"I don't want it." Zero snarled at the dark haired Pureblood.

Kaname didn't listen. He turned to Sayori, "You may want to leave." He suggested.

Sayori folded her arms across her chest, and stuck her chin defiantly. "I'll stay."

Kaname didn't answer her; instead he dragged an elongated nail down his neck, letting his blood ooze from the wound. He counted on Zero's nature do the rest. The silver haired boy grabbed a handful of curly dense brown hair and tugged the bleeding neck to his lips, his eyes glowed red, his tongue flicked out and licked at a dribble of blood that made its way to Kaname's collar bone, fangs flashed as Zero plunged them into that deliciously tempting flesh.

Kaname managed to hold back the delighted moan; he never remembered giving blood to Yuuki being this sensual. Only with Zero, did he feel this addicting pleasure. Sayori saw the pink tinge to the Pureblood's cheeks and his eyes cloud over with something- something intense she didn't have a name for.

Then suddenly, Zero jerked away from Kaname, coughing. His face was grimaced in pain and confusion. When he jerked up, he pushed both of them away as he lunged for his en suite bathroom. The Pureblood and the human stared after him in shock; but when they heard the unmistakable sounds of Zero's retching, they moved together- Kaname's vampire speed bringing him well ahead of Sayori- to Zero's side.

Zero was hunched over the toilet, retching as he threw up blood. Tears made their way down his cheeks from the pain as his throat was scraped raw. Kaname easily supported his back, holding that silver silk away from Zero's face as he threw up what was left in his stomach. "W-what's happening to me?" Zero's voice was whisper weak and filled with defeat and confusion.

"I don't know, but I swear I'll find out. I'll do everything to find out what's wrong with you." Kaname breathed into his ear as he rubbed soothing strokes down the boy's back.

"Zero?" Sayori whispered, holding out a glass of sparkling clear water for him, when his hands shook uncontrollably, she helped him take small sips and rinse his mouth from the blood and vomit. "We'll figure this out Zero, I promise." She added her own vow on top of Kaname's.

"So tired." Zero's voice was barely coherent, his eyes drooping shut.

"Okay." Kaname picked the boy up, one arm supporting his back, the other under Zero's knees; the Pureblood vampire cradled the lesser vampire to his chest. "Let's get you back to bed, Zero."

"Like that." It was obvious Zero wasn't thinking straight and was just saying what was in his head.

"What do you like, Zero?" Kaname asked as he carefully tucked the sheets around Zero and Sayori stroked his hair from his sweaty forehead.

"You saying my name, like that. Like you care." Zero managed to mumble before sleep claimed him.

Sayori and Kaname studied each other as the three occupant of the room slept, oblivious of the thick tension between vampire and human. Sayori spoke, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake Zero up. "You hurt him- physically, mentally or emotionally and I promise, Pureblood or not, I'll stab you straight through." She turned to go but Kaname's voice stopped her.

"Sayori-san, I hope I can trust you to keep him safe. Even from himself." Kaname's eyes were hard but also compassionate and Sayori realised that the vampire cared for Zero more than even he realised. She nodded sharply before she left, closing the door after her.

**-LineBreak- **

It was just breaking dawn when they came. Three shadows, all different yet the same. The one that stood tall and proud on the left turned to the one in the middle. The only one they followed other than their Lord. "Is he here, sister? I can sense him, but it's weak." She muttered, tucking a shoulder length lock of milk-chocolate brown hair behind her ear. The long earring glittered in the sunrise.

The middle girl only nodded shortly. "That's because he is weak, my sister. Something has happened. Something has gone wrong with his Awakening. We must hurry." The girl was younger than the first in appearance but not by much. In other ways she was much older. Her hip length hair was red-black and hung free over her shoulders. Long spiky bangs fell into eyes that were as pale as winter mist off the surface of a frozen lake.

The third girl was the youngest in every way. Her long waist length pale blonde hair was tucked under a grey beret and a flip side fringe hid her right eye. She stroked a thumb lovingly over the sharp edge of the double headed battle axe she was leaning on. When a drop of red blood appeared she simply licked it off. "Then why are we wasting time?" She asked in her home language, the German rich and musical.

She hefted the axe over her shoulder and started towards the main house of Cross Academy. The other girls followed her, the three of them easily slid into their previous position of the redhead in the middle, the brunette on the left and the blonde on the right. The brunette cast a disgusted look at the buildings and trees they passed. "This place reeks of _Them_. Our Lord in such a place!" Her French accent thickened with fury.

The redhead hummed with agreement. "We shall find the truth after we find Lord Omega." She promised in her crisp British accent. They found him quickly; after all they would always go to where he was. The window lock was easily picked open and wrenched up to allow the three of them to crawl through it. They were impossibly graceful, like panthers.

They watched him sleep, tossing and turning in an unknown nightmare. They were unconcerned about the dream- it was only natural considering what was happening. But still the blonde reached over and stroked his hair back. Her fingers brushed his marked neck, her cornflower eyes darkened with seething anger.

"_Er hat gebissen worden. Durch eine reine Blut!_" She hissed like a python.

"You are certain?" The brunette asked her hand reached for her side and produced a long thin whip, the leather sprouting thick thorns, like a rose stem, responding to her anger. When the blonde nodded grimly, she cracked the whip sharply. "There's on here, I can smell it."

The redhead grabbed her arm. "Peace, Elina." She commanded. "We shall find it and then find out what happened to our Lord." Her voice resonated power and control. It wrapped around the others like vines, choking any free will from them as ivy might choke a tree. "Liddy, you shall stay here and keep him in peaceful sleep. Allow none to harm him."

The other two nodded. They felt their sister's power but were too used to it for it to affect them. Liddy nodded, "I shall not fail him, Peyton."

Peyton's pale grey eyes showed fierce determination; they were the eyes of a predator after her prey. "Elina and I shall find the Pureblood." She promised.

Elina's midnight eyes sparkled with anticipation. "If it is the one that has dared drink from Lord Omega, I shall kill it slowly." She promised darkly.

Peyton reached behind her and produced a pair of Sai daggers. "Then let's hunt." She whispered and jumped through the open window, landing on their feet on the grass below. Peyton led the way through the trees. Their thoughts were on only one thing, find the one that had harmed their Lord.

By the lake, outside the Moon Dorms, Kaname worried over a certain silver haired Hunter. He couldn't help the small swell of happiness in his heart, at Zero's sleepy confession. He liked Kaname saying his name. Lost in his thoughts, he had no idea of the danger that grew closer with every step.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: A little shorter than my others I know, but this seemed like a good cliff hanger to leave it. Please tell me what you think of my OCs. I usually hate OCs in fan fiction but I needed these three to carry the story. I did try and give them their own personalities. Please Review!**


	4. Awakening

**A/N: Chapter four! This chapter is dedicated to Dble J, Happy 'belated' Birthday! Okay, in this chapter it gets a little AU with the timeline.**

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Four**_

_**Awakening**_

Kaname never heard them coming. The first look he got at them was when the redhead ploughed a boot in his face, breaking his nose. When levered himself from the ground, he got a good look at his assailant. She was skinny as a rake, her hair the most catching thing about her, fanning behind her as she stood slightly crouched, ready for a counterattack. Her face wasn't beautiful in the traditional sense, but rather interesting with a pointed chin, almond-shaped eyes that appeared almost colourless and were heavily outlined in black, and a full top-heavy mouth painted dark purple. "How dare you." She hissed in a crisp upper-class English accent.

"Don't talk to it, sister. Just kill it already." The other voice was French and smoky. She was behind him, but Kaname never sensed anyone there. He was on his feet in a flash, both girls tensing, ready. Kaname was several feet away from them in seconds. He kept them in his line of vision and made sure they could see him as well. The blood pouring from his nose had stopped, and he could feel the cartilage mending already. At his new position he could see the French girl more clearly.

Her chocolate hair was long and plaited harshly away from her face, with several shoulder length locks framing her breath-taking beautiful face. Her skin held a healthy golden glow that said she was the type that spent most her time in the outdoors and was a very active person. She was tall, nearly six-foot and wore a furious expression mixed with disgust as she turned eyes so dark they were nearly black on him.

"I believe it is common courtesy for one to introduce themselves before they attempt murder." Kaname said dryly. He wondered how long before the Night Class got here, they would have smelled his blood and at least Aidou and Takuma would come to investigate. And by default so would Shiki and Kain. The sun was already beginning to filter through the trees; everyone would be back from town by now.

Brunette sneered at him. "Who said we would _attempt _murder?"

Redhead only regarded him through cold eyes. "Tell me, Vampire, was he delicious?" Kaname blinked, remembering when he had once uttered similar words to Zero about Yuuki when she was still human.

"It would help to answer your question if I knew who you were talking about." Kaname spoke carefully.

"Don't play stupid!" Suddenly Brunette had a long wicked looking whip in her hand, Thick inch long thorns ran from the end of the handle to the end of the length, the tip was a two inch steel point. It looked very dangerous, but what concerned Kaname more was the fact he'd never seen her produce the weapon. It was in her hand as if it had always been.

"We speak of the Lord." Redhead said as if this explained everything.

"What Lord?"

"Don't pretend you don't know!" Brunette shrieked and cracked the whip towards him; Kaname barely missed it, the long point grazing his shoulder. The metal cut through his shoulder as if it was a Hunter's weapon but it didn't carry the same sting or burn that Hunter weapons usually did.

"I'm not pretending. I don't know what you're talking about!" Kaname snapped, he allowed his powerful aura to flood the forest, alerting any of Night Class and the two strangers. Both rocked backwards slightly, as if they were dizzy but they stayed on their feet. Kaname was grudgingly impressed but also concerned although he didn't let either emotion show, most would have been on the ground withering in pain, but these girls weren't.

"Kaname-sama!" Aidou Hanabusa ran into the clearing, followed closely by his cousin and Takuma. Shiki was bringing up the rear with an umbrella protecting his delicate skin from the sun.

"Your little harem, vampire?" Brunette hissed, her whip went for Aidou's neck and the blonde narrowly escaped injury when he froze a wall between him and the weapon. Brunette's glare increased tenfold, "Stay out of this, Blondie. We have no quarrel with you." She turned her back on a seething Aidou and turned back to Kaname. "Why did you bite him?"

"I haven't bitten anyone!" Kaname snarled, letting his eyes glow red and his fangs to flash in the light.

"Like hell! You're the only one here!" Brunette flicked her whip again and was about to charge him when Redhead finally spoke since the Noble vampires had arrived.

"Elina, stop." She said firmly. And Brunette did. Literally like she had just been frozen in place, Brunette, now revealed to be Elina managed to turn her head to glare at the other girl hatefully. Redhead seemed to notice what she had done and winced, "Sorry, sister." And Elina could move again.

"I was going to kill him! Why did you order me?" Brunette whined furiously, but she didn't go for Kaname again, but her whip stayed ready by her side.

Redhead ignored her sister. "Pureblood, if you did not bite our Lord then who the hell did?"

"I don't know who you're talking about. If I knew his name, then maybe I can help you." Kaname kept his voice calm and soothing, even pulling his aura back. The girls' pained expressions lessened slightly.

"He has gone by many names over the years. At the moment his name is Zero." Redhead answered.

"Whaaat?" Aidou gaped at her. The other Nobles wore similar expressions.

Brunette sneered and was about to answer when they heard the song _Running up that Hill_ from Placebo. Redhead fished a mobile phone from the back pocket of her dark red leather pants. She ignored everyone when she answered it with a curt, "Hello?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Elina tried. I stopped her."

"Good."

"So it wasn't this one...a woman?"

"Good."

"What?"

"Okay, I'm bringing it and some of it's...posse."

The Vampires and Elina followed the one sided conversation sharply. When the Redhead hanged up, Elina looked her expectantly. "Our Lord's awake. We need to take them to him." She told her.

"Why? Is he going to kill them?" Elina spoke the last part hopefully.

"Liddy has the answers. She said it was vital we brought the Pureblood to him." Redhead and Elina began to make their way to the main house; almost as if she'd forgotten about them, she turned back. "Well come on. Our Lord is not to be kept waiting."

**-LineBreak-**

Liddy fished through one of her many pockets on her coat and finally produced a strawberry lollipop. She happily sucked on it while she watched over her Lord. She had calmed his dreaming so he lay peaceful under his blankets. She had also turned off the baby monitor by his bed, wondering who cared enough to check on him during the night. She had kept the curtains closed, keeping the room in shadows to help her Lord sleep more peacefully.

"Who are you?" Liddy turned at the voice in the doorway. A young girl with chin length copper curls stared at her suspiciously. In one arm she hugged a fluffy grey and white husky puppy and in the other she held a spear head on a short handle.

Liddy smiled and waved at the girl. "Lydia von Straussenberg, oh! But it's said von Straussenberg Lydia, here in Japan, isn't it? Anyway call me Liddy- everyone does! Come sit."

"Hi. I'm Wakaba Sayori." Sayori blinked. "Do you know Zero?" She hesitantly took the chair next to Liddy, and set Shiloh down. The dog immediately leapt onto the edge of Zero's bed and curled up next to him, recognising him as the human that came and played with her from time to time. She was good at reading people, even Yagari had mentioned she had a natural talent for instinctively knowing what people were really like. The blonde girl with a flip fringe hiding her right eye and heavy German accent seemed polite, cheerful and more than a little dangerous. But she wasn't a threat to Zero.

"Oh many years. I like to forget how many so I feel younger." The girl confessed as she clicked the lollipop against her teeth.

"You can't be more than fourteen. Are you a vampire?" Sayori asked innocently.

"No." Liddy answered shortly.

"A Hunter?"

"No." Liddy just as curtly answered.

"Then what?" Sayori asked, confused. One point the girl was smiling, cheerful and welcoming. The next, she was cold, her expression closed off and her answers sharper than Silver Edge.

"I am his friend." She stroked Zero's hair back.

"You came for his birthday, then?"

"Yes. His eighteenth birthday is very special. He is awakening."

"Awakening? To his vampire abilities?" Sayori was confused.

"No." Liddy answered. "What do you know about the one that bit Zero?" She tilted her head to the side, examining Sayori with her brilliant cornflower blue eye.

"Not a lot. Hiou Shizuka bit him when he was twelve. His fought the change for four years before the bloodlust overwhelmed him. He still fights his need for blood, Zero is so strong, but sometimes, the strong need to be weak. Kuran Kaname-senpai feeds him to stop him from falling to a Level E."

"A Pureblood fed him?" Outrage sounded in Liddy's voice. "And Hiou Shizuka. Is she here?"

"Shizuka is dead." Both girls turned in surprise to Zero, who still lay down on his bed, one hand scratching behind Shiloh's ears. He turned to Sayori, "Why is Shiloh here?"

"She's your birthday gift. Do you like her?" Sayori answered a shyly.

Zero nodded and hugged the puppy close to him, when he glanced up at the caramel haired prefect, a genuine smile lit up his face. Taking note of the other girl in the room, he turned to Liddy, "You look familiar. Have we met?"

"Yes. A long time ago. We are friends." Liddy answered even as she pulled a bubblegum blue mobile phone out of her pocket. "I need to call my sisters." She waited until the phone was answered. "Peyton, did you find the Pureblood?" Zero and Sayori attempted to follow the one sided conversation.

"Is he dead?"

"Really? You didn't try and kill him?" Surprise was obvious in her voice.

"Oh. Our Lord's awake."

"And I found out who bit him. It was a woman named Shizuka Hiou."

"Doesn't look like it. Apparently she's dead."

"Anyway, I think you should bring that Pureblood here. Something's happened."

"The situation is worse than we originally thought."

When she flipped the phone closed she turned to the other two occupants who frowned a little at her. Zero spoke first. "Why did you call me your Lord?"

"Because you are. Peyton and Elina are happy you are awake, they're bringing the Pureblood and a few of his followers." Liddy said simply.

**-LineBreak-**

When Kaname got to the main house; he found Zero propped up on numerous pillows in his bed playing with a husky puppy. Sayori sat on the side of his bed, stroking the dog's fur and a blonde girl was sat on one of the wooden chair, sharpening a huge double headed battle axe. When she saw Redhead and Elina she smiled, when she saw him she glared. "You are the vampire that fed him."

"WHAT!" Redhead and Elina both snapped, their head whipping around to stare at Kaname so fast that they should have given themselves whiplash. The Noble Vampires behind him weren't fairing much better either, if Aidou's mouth was open another inch, it would be dragging on the floor. The only ones who didn't react to that bombshell were Shiki and Takuma.

"I thought it could heal him." Kaname said blandly.

"Bullshit!" Elina snarled out. "Why couldn't you have left him the hell alone?"

"Don't talk to Kaname-sama that way!" Aidou hissed, always ready to leap to the defence of his Pureblood master.

"_Se taire_! The only thing below a vampire is a man." Elina told him sharply.

"That is all very well for a vampire, Kuran but he is not what you think he is." Blonde ignored everyone and kept her eye on the Pureblood. Whatever Kaname's answer to that was going to be was cut off by Zero's hacking cough. Sayori immediately reached for a metal bowl and placed it under Zero's chin.

"Let it come up, Zero. Liddy said you have to get rid of the bad blood inside you." Sayori told him; with her free hand she rubbed soothing circles on his back. Zero choked and spluttered shortly before he vomited a fountain of sticky red blood. The vampires could smell the precious pureness of it mixed with Zero's own unique mixed blood.

"What's wrong with him?" Kain asked staring transfixed at the bowl.

"He has to get rid of your disgusting vampire blood before he can continue with his Awakening." Elina told him stiffly.

"Awakening?" Takuma asked while Aidou spluttered incoherently with indignation on Kaname's behalf.

"He is becoming whole, again." Liddy said. "He's never been human for so many years, but it was necessary. We had to protect him."

Zero spat a mouthful of blood into the bowl. "She keeps calling me her Lord. I don't know her. And I don't know you two either." He told Redhead and Elina.

"You will, in time, my Lord." Redhead told him.

"I don't know you people! I'm not your Lord! My name is Kiriyuu Zero, I'm eighteen today and I've never seen any of you before in my life." Zero declared hotly.

"You said when you first woke up, that I looked familiar." Liddy whispered, his outburst had rattled her and her sisters more than they wanted to admit. "You do know us, my Lord. You just need a little more time. When your Awakening is complete, you'll understand."

"I'm not your Lord!" Zero shouted, his hands fisting in his hair. Liddy reached over and stroked his forehead, Zero's eyes glazed over and his eyelids fluttered closed. "wh-what are you..." Zero muttered through numb lips.

"Sleep." Liddy whispered. And Zero did.

"I think we deserve some answers." Kaname spoke authoritatively, not wanting the others to know just how out of depth he really felt. To see Zero coughing up so much blood and these three girls willing to attack a Pureblood for him...Kaname wasn't used to not knowing what was happening, he found that he disliked the feeling immensely.

"We'll let him rest. Is there somewhere we can sit and talk without interruption?" Peyton asked Sayori. The girl nodded and led the way to the private library in the main house. She knew that it was still too early for Kaien to be up and Yagari had to leave for the Association late last night. But she had a feeling this was a conversation that needed a lot of quiet and privacy.

"Here." She opened the doors for them, and the vampires and the strangers all settled themselves on the dusty settees and chairs. Sayori took the seat between Kaname and Peyton.

"So, vampires, how much do you know about your own race?" Elina asked with an arrogant smirk.

**-LineBreak-**

Yagari Toga stared at the President of the Hunter's Assosiation stoically, mentally, however he was calculating how many different ways he could kill the man and dispose of his body under ten minutes. He had currently come up with seventy-four. "Do you understand your mission, Yagari?" The President simpered.

Yagari didn't humour him with a proper answer but gave a short jerk of head instead. He understood all right, despite he and Kaien being very careful about Zero's collapse and discharge from the hospital, somehow the Association found out. Now Zero was on the list. That bastard had put the silver-haired boy on the list for extermination.

And he wanted Yagari to be the one who delivered the final blow.

Yagari imagined ripping off the President's head with his bare hands using it as a football. But the bastard was talking again. "Don't tell me you still have feelings for that Level E? He is already dead, Yagari." The President walked around the black-haired Hunter so he could lean in close and whisper in his ear, "We'll being helping him. What sort of life will he lead if we allow such an abomination to continue? We'll be giving him what he wants..."

The President walked back to the high-backed chair behind his desk, "You know what to do, Yagari. I will not accept any failure when it concerns Kiriyuu Zero." His voice was cold and hard like ice.

"I understand." Yagari bit out and marched from the room without waiting for a formal dismissal. He understood perfectly. Kill Zero with his own hands or allow another Hunter to do it. A Hunter that didn't care about the boy and only saw him as a job...

Yagari slammed closed his car door so hard it rocked the whole car. He hated to admit it, especially to himself but there was only one person he could think of that could help Zero...that blasted Pureblood Kuran Kaname.

**-LineBreak-**

Deep in the bowels of the abandoned mansion, blood dripped constantly into the large glass basin, at the very bottom, a figure rested, waited. The blood rippled as it opened dual coloured eyes and as he broke the surface, the man smiled coldly showing off long sharp canines stained, like the rest of his body, with blood.

"So...you're finally back." He whispered to the empty room. He levered himself out of the basin and crawled to the door, his legs too weak to hold his weight. Thumping on the door, insistently it was opened by a skinny oily vampire who stared at him with wide fearful hazel eyes, "Hello." The older vampire greeted him, before pulling the man down to his level and sinking his fangs deep into the other vampire's neck without remorse.

He laughed- it was a high-pitched insane giggle. He used the door to hurl himself up to his feet and walked slowly out of the room, while the lower level vampire turn to ash at his feet, the debris sticking to the drying blood on the naked vampire. He didn't seem to notice as he closed the door and locked it.

"We are going to have such a nice...reunion." He whispered as he started up the stirs towards the moonlight streaming through the broken glass windows.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Chapter four! Please review. And a very Happy Birthday to Dble J again!**


	5. History Lesson for Vampires

**A/NP: Here's chapter five! And it's getting seriously AU now. Also I took some creative license with the Greek Alphabet. This is dedicated to Cookie Monster. Happy birthday, for yesterday! My Birthday is on the 13****th****. **

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Five**_

_**History Lesson for Vampires**_

"What do you know about the Alphas and Omegas?" Liddy asked when all they got were blank faces.

"What has the Greek Alphabet got to do with Kiriyuu?" Aidou asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Oh please! You really think that's all those letters meant?" Elina snapped, looking insulted.

"I know vampires were called Alphas when they first appeared. I've never heard of Omegas used in that conjunction." Kain told them.

"True, Alphas were the first name for Vampires- the true name if you want to be technical- Omegas were their equals, but not like them." Peyton told them.

"Omegas are not equal! They're the lowest rank!" Aidou hissed.

"The Greeks were not the ones who came up with Alpha and Omega- they adopted those symbols and names into their alphabet nearly six thousand years after they were first used. The true meaning of Omega meant opposite. They are the opposite of Alpha." Peyton noticed a piece of paper had been left on the table, snatching it up she saw it was a print test from a computer printer. "Any of you got a pen?" She asked.

Kaname flicked out a fountain pen from his breast pocket and handed it to her. Peyton took it without a word. Instead on the back of the paper, she made an X, then next to it but several inches away she drew another X. "Opposite but equal. Do you get it?" when all she got were blank faces she let out a long suffering sigh and drew a large curve, linking the two Xs and forming a large letter U. "This is what a vampire hierarchy would look like. You have your Purebloods here, then your Nobles, then the Cs. The Ds would be about here, and the Es right at the bottom here. Then you have your Omegas at the other end here." As she spoke, she tapped the paper with the pen, illustrating her point.

"Th-tha-that's impossible!" Aidou stuttered out, the very thought that he'd been teasing and rude and insulting to someone that was equal to kaname-sama was almost too much to bear- but the fact that person was Kiriyuu...

"Tell that to Lord Zero!" Elina snapped her dark eyes boring into Aidou's.

"Zero is...an Omega?" Kaname spoke carefully.

"He is the last of the Omegas."

Kain had always been very good at History. While his cousin preferred Chemistry, Ruka was good at Art, Takuma's thing was Ethics and Rima and Shiki were tied first in geography and Kaname-sama, well he was outstanding at everything, wasn't he? But History was Kain's subject, the one he was better at than the others- except Kaname-sama, of course. But as his listened to the unfolding story, he realised how ignorant he truly was. Everything he believed was truth had come crashing down. And the three strange girls were gleefully kicking the foundations of their entire society. Their past- the stories they had learnt from a young age were nothing but fables.

"But how was he hidden from the vampires? How is it we've never heard of them before?" Takuma asked.

"We kept him hidden. That is our duty to him." Elina snapped.

Peyton sighed. "Omegas are the perfect match for any vampire, their blood is so potent it could give a Level E the same power as a Pureblood- and stabilise them. Most Omegas died because either their vampire mate died, or another vampire drained them."

"And why is he human now?" Kaname asked; he didn't want to think about Zero's body cold and lifeless. Those unique eyes staring blankly- never seeing again or never revealing another emotion in their depths.

The three sisters swapped uneasy glances. Peyton finally spoke; she seemed to be the leader of them when Zero wasn't around, "There...there were other vampires. They found out about Zero, but didn't report him to the Council- they wanted him for themselves. Tried to woo him- if you call sending him a human heart still smeared with blood wooing- or they just wanted to drain him. For more than a thousand years, they chased us. Then one did something. Something terrible."

"What?"

"We don't know. It was about twenty-one years ago. Zero left for several months then he came back, he was different. He said that the vampire did something inexcusable. He had us living in a forest for some years then he came to us one day and told us he had to become human. He told us there was a family not far that held enough similarities for a human Zero to pass as their son." Liddy picked up the story. "We locked his Omega side away and left him as a newborn baby in their home; I have a gift over dreams and memories and altered the parents' accordingly."

"He told us that when he turned eighteen his Omega side will not be able to stay prisoner in his body and we were to find him." Elina told them grudgingly.

"If Omegas are the perfect mates for vampires- why do you hate us?" Takuma asked the question that plagued his mind since he met these strangers.

"Because you always take what you want and you don't give a damn about the consequences. It's your kind that killed the Omegas in the first place." Elina snarled.

"How old is he?" Sayori interrupted before Aidou could say anything stupid, the blonde vampire had gone very red and was spluttering with rage. Sayori, however remembered all the different languages Zero had spoken in or written in.

"Eighteen. Omegas are not like Purebloods in which they live forever- until they mate at least. They're reincarnated every one hundred years, looking for their perfect half." Peyton shrugged, it was obvious this was completely normal for her.

"Why hasn't he mated yet?" Aidou, asked nosily while Kaname's face remained emotionless even though inside, he felt a swell of unexplainable rage at Aidou's question. The blonde had always been perfectly clear on his feelings for Zero- why did he care if the Hunt- no, the Omega had mated or not?

"Because he is not the type to jump into the bed with the first bloodsucker that comes along." Elina's tone suggested Aidou was stupid not to have realised this already. "When an Omega chooses a mate, it is forever. When they're mated, the Omega will have the Greek letter appear on the inside of their right wrist. It's-!" Elina seemed to realise she was giving them too much information and cut herself off with a glare.

"Will he be okay?" Kaname changed the subject before Aidou could ask another question about Zero, Kaname refused to let his concern to leak through, keeping his voice calm and controlled as usual. He wasn't sure what to call the feeling that swelled in his chest whenever he saw or thought about the newly discovered Omega but he knew that the thought of him being hurt or harmed was too much too bear.

"I don't know." Liddy's voice was soft. "All the other times he was completely human. This is the first time he's been bitten by a vampire and then fed by one. His body is rejecting the vampire blood before he can continue his Awakening- it's why he didn't recognise us at first."

"And what are you?" Aidou demanded, "Are you immortal?"

"No." Peyton looked disgusted by the mere thought. "We age, just very slowly. I've known Zero for more than five hundred years and in those years I've aged about two years." Peyton explained. Seeing their surprised stares, Kain let out a low whistle at that revelation. The redhead did not look a day over sixteen- and even if she had been a Pureblood vampire she'd have looked in her twenties at least. She smirked. "What? Did you think we were angels or something?"

Aidou opened his mouth to retort when they all froze, Sayori knew a vampire was near by the way all the other vampires in the room acted and the way the three strangers all tensed, Peyton fingered a Sai dagger almost lovingly while giving the drawn curtains over the window a dark glare. Kaname spoke, "Come in, Seiren."

The lavender haired vampire appeared as if she melted from the shadows. "My Lord." She bowed low to Kaname. "Forgive me for interrupting you but your sister has grown increasingly...impatient for your return. I felt it best to calm her worries by finding you." Seiren spoke promptly to the unasked query to why reason she was there.

"I see." Kaname murmured. The way his bodyguard's eye had given a nearly invisible twitch told him that she had come to find him more to get away from Yuuki than to relieve his sister's worries about him. "Tell her I'll return later, when the shadows are longer." While Kaname could walk in a full blazing sun, it would not be comfortable and he saw no reason to hurry back just yet. He still wanted to check on Zero.

Seiren didn't react; she simply bowed again and spoke in her usual monotone, "Of course, my Lord. Do you wish me to remain with you?" It was probably the closest Seiren had ever come to begging for an excuse not to return to the Moon Dorms and to a ranting Yuuki.

"No, but I do have a mission for you. I would like you to find as much as you can about the beings known as Alphas and Omegas. Use any resources you deem necessary." If Seiren was surprised by this her face didn't show it, instead she nodded impassively and was gone as quickly as she had arrived.

"Slick." Elina muttered sarcastically. "Does she do back flips on order, as well?" Kaname ignored her.

"If Peyton is more than five hundred years old, how old are you two?" Aidou asked bluntly.

Elina's eyes twitched threateningly but Liddy smiled pleasantly, "Haven't you heard asking a lady's age is incredibly rude?" She asked lightly.

"It's a vampire- of course it doesn't have manners." Elina informed her sister superiorly.

"Hey!" Aidou protested, he would have said plenty more but was stopped with Kain's hand on his arm. "I was just asking..." Aidou muttered sulkily.

Kaname had had enough of this. He stood up and turned to the other vampires, "The sun is too high for you to return to the Moon Dorms so I suggest you stay here. And stay out of Yagari-sensei's and the Chairman's way. I'm going to check on Z- Kiriyuu." He strode from the room; Elina was right behind him, screaming obscenities in French. After a second, Peyton and Liddy followed, leaving Sayori with the four Nobles.

Sayori wasn't about to be left with them though, she was out the door as fast as possible. Shiki turned to Takuma, "I didn't know humans could move that fast." He commented impassively.

Takuma merely nodded.

**-LineBreak-**

Zero woke to the sound of shouting. He had slept like the dead after that blonde girl- Liddy- had placed her hand on his forehead, whatever she'd done he had had a restful sleep with no dreams and nightmares. The shouting was getting nearer, he could make out about three different people, he recognised Kuran's voice and Sayori's and the French accented one sounded really familiar.

"Will you two be quiet? You'll wake him!" Sayori half-whispered, half-shouted at the other two.

"You touch him vampire and I'll cleave you in two!"

"I have no intention of harming Kiriyuu-kun." Kuran's voice. He sounded like he actually meant that.

"I am warning you..."

"Both of you!" Sayori sounded like a mother who'd just found her children sneaking cookies before dinner. "You wake him and I'll stab you both!"

"Too late." Zero told her as he carefully levered himself into a sitting position. "So what's going on?" He asked, staring at the two girls and the Pureblood vampire. Kaname looked tired- which was surprising as Zero knew Purebloods could go several days without sleep before they felt the effects. Sayori was still dressed in her green dressing gown over yellow pyjama bottoms, her arms were folded over her chest but her scowl melted slightly when she saw Shiloh curled up next to him, still fast asleep. Elina- it looked like the French girl was attempting to kill Kaname with her eyes as she was glowering at him so hard.

"Oh, nothing much. How are you feeling?" Kaname asked lightly.

Zero narrowed his eyes at the vampire, "Fine. Why?"

"You've been ill for some time now, Zero-kun." Kaname explained, keeping his tone light and breezy, even as his eyes roamed Zero's frame. The silver-haired Omega was still too pale, still too skinny and still too fragile-looking in Kaname's mind but the shadows that had dogged his eyes for the past two months had eased, he no longer seemed completely weak and the waxy texture of his skin had all but disappeared.

"Why are you being so bloody nice?" Zero asked bluntly.

"Can I not be nice to you, Zero-kun?" Kaname asked in surprise.

"No. And who said you could call me by my name?"

"In that case you should call me Kaname." The vampire smiled politely while Zero glared at him.

"Don't go getting comfortable with him, you bilge rat!" Elina snapped out.

"Bilge rat?" Kaname repeated, "I thought Talk-Like-a-Pirate day was sometime in the summer?"

"A lot you'd know about pirates, vampire." Elina said stiffly, her face pinched and cold. Clearly Kaname had touched a nerve.

"Why, was your boyfriend one?" Kaname tilted his head slightly. After all the insults he had to put up from this girl, he couldn't resist a little teasing.

"No. I've told you, the only thing lower than a vampire is a man." Her voice should have formed icicles around the room.

"Were... were _you _a pirate, Elina-san?" Sayori whispered. Despite her distrust of these newcomers, she felt a thrill go through her. She'd always been interested in history and here, here she had three beings that had actually experience the things she read about.

"Once upon a time." Elina admitted. "It's why they hanged me in 1688. That and the little business with the American fleet captain I killed." She added, with a dismissive wave of her hand. Kaname felt a little abashed although he didn't show it.

"Oh." Sayori murmured. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Elina sounded genuinely surprised by the human's apology.

"Well...I think it must have been horrible for you...to die like that." Sayori struggled to find the right words- how did you tell someone you were sorry they died several hundred years before you were even born?

"I didn't die. Came close, but Zero saved me."

"I did?" Zero asked looking a little lost. "How? I wasn't alive in 1688."

"You saved all of us." Peyton divulged from the doorway, where she stood with Liddy. The blonde went directly to Zero and placed her hand on his forehead as though she was checking for a temperature. Zero shoved her hand away, remembering what had happened the last time she did that, Liddy just smiled and replaced her hand. "You'll understand after you've slept some more, Zero." Peyton continued, "You haven't been sleeping enough."

"Wha-what?" Zero managed to say before he fell into another deep dreamless sleep.

"You shouldn't keep doing that to him." Kaname told Liddy, he didn't like the idea of this girl drugging Zero.

"Sleep will help him. The Awakening is easier and less painful if most of it happens when he's asleep. Trust me on this, Kuran, I'd never harm Zero." Liddy explained cheerfully, rummaging in her army surplus jacket and finding a blueberry fizzy-pop and a strawberry one. She offered the strawberry one to Kaname who refused with a shake of his head. Shrugging, Liddy dropped it back into her pocket and set about the fiddly task of unwrapping the blueberry treat instead. "And you'll have to go through all three of us if you want him." She whispered aside to him while Peyton, Elina and Sayori gave curious glances at the Pureblood's blushing face.

"How did he save you?" Kaname asked, drawing attention away from his rare lack of composure.

"That is a very personal question." Liddy told him, rattling the lollipop noisily around her teeth, "Come take a walk, Kuran. We passed some lovely gardens on our way to Zero; you can give me a proper tour of them. Oh come on, you're a Pureblood. Ten minutes in the sun isn't going to turn you to ash." She looped her arm through his and nearly dragged him out the rooms.

Once outside, Liddy found the Chairman's private rose garden and she plopped herself down under the shade of an oak tree. Kaname stood rigid and uncertain under the same tree. He wasn't sure what to do with this one; he could handle Elina's angry, derogatory insults and Peyton's cold distrust. But Liddy was cheerful, bright and her cornflower blue eye shone with too much understanding for Kaname's comfort.

"Lovely out here isn't it? I love roses, they're my favourite flower." Liddy remarked idly. She stroked the petals of a yellow rose she had picked from a nearby bush gently. "I was fourteen when I met Hans von Graffender in 1802. He was handsome and charming, like a prince out of a fairytale. But he was cold inside. He had no warmth. No kindness." Liddy didn't look up from the flower as she spoke. "My family were travellers- gypsies. We weren't thieves or crooks like so many said we were. We danced and sang in villages to earn money and food."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kaname asked softly.

"Because you have to understand. Where we came from. Why Zero chose us. If you are to be Zero's, you need to understand." She replied. "Hans was the son of the Mayor of one of the larger villages, more of a town really. I use to sing with my brothers- I was the only girl- and he heard me one time. He crept to our camp and saw me; he called me over and convinced me to go for a walk. I was naive, Kuran, for my age. He took me to a beautiful place, next to a lake and requested I became his mistress. I refused." Liddy trailed off.

She took a deep shuddering breath before she continued. "I was fourteen and engaged, it was an arranged marriage but I had known the boy- his name was Garfield- all my life. He was kind, gentle but not very handsome, but I knew his heart and I knew he'd be a good husband because he was a good man." Liddy picked the petals from the rose, lost in thought and memories.

"I told Hans about my fiancé and he was furious. He had seen Garfield and couldn't understand why I'd pick a homely gypsy boy over him. He struck me, I fell. I may have been naive but I wasn't defenceless. I scratched at him with my nails when he attempted to choke me. We fought like cats, until he got the upper hand, when he pushed me into the lake. I couldn't swim." Liddy didn't seem to realise she had demolished the flower, as she continued. "He figured that out quickly and held my head under. I was a breath away from death when Zero and Elina and Peyton found me. They'd heard us fighting and came to investigate."

"What happened?" Kaname whispered. He felt horrified at what this child had gone through all because of the selfishness of another.

"Zero brought me back by feeding me his blood. I was completely human, Kuran, it didn't turn me into a vampire but as you can see it has given me and my sisters incredibly long lives. When I woke on the muddy bank, I saw what Elina had done to Hans. It was not pretty." Liddy told him frankly. "She had whipped him to death, the skin was peeling from his bones and bits of muscle were completely torn off. Elina means it when she says the lowest thing on this earth is a man." When she saw Kaname open his mouth she shook her head firmly, "That's her story. I told you mine so you'd understand- we all feel that for him. He saved us when others would have left us or harmed us. We were all going to die, but he gave us another chance, a chance not only of life, but to be better. There is nothing more precious to us than Zero."

"I don't know what I feel for him." Kaname admitted reluctantly, looking down at the blonde girl. Liddy tossed the mangled stem of the yellow rose away and met his eyes seriously.

"Not yet. But when you do, you have to be completely sure, Kuran. Because if you hurt him, I'll make what Elina did to Hans look like a cheap horror movie." She promised him. Holding out her hands, she smiled brightly. "Be a gentleman and help a lady up." Kaname took one of her hands and carefully pulled her to her feet.

Liddy made her way back to the main house just ahead of Kaname. "Kuran, if you want to sit with Zero I can arrange it so you'll be alone."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Starting tomorrow, I and my sisters will be joining the Day Class of this school. We are in need of uniforms and school supplies; after all it's been at least seventy years since we were last in a classroom. And Kuran?" Liddy waited for the vampire to meet her face, "I'm rooting for you."

"Why?" Kaname couldn't stop the question from slipping past his lips.

"Because I believe you can make Zero happy." Liddy didn't turn around again as they made their way back to the main house.

**-LineBreak-**

Liddy hadn't just gotten her sisters to go into town with her but Sayori as well, stating that they needed someone to show them the best shops. All of them had been reluctant to leave Zero's side but Liddy's reasoning was too logical for them to sidestep or find a proper excuse to stay. So Kaname was seated next to Zero's bed watching the silver haired boy sleep. Unable to stop himself, the Pureblood vampire stroked the silvery silky soft locks away from the Omega's face. The boy looked so peaceful and serene.

"I don't know what this feeling in my heart is, Zero-kun. But I know it's not hate. Not anymore." Kaname confessed in a whisper. He blinked when he felt something wet and cold touch his thumb and jerked his hand away from Zero's face when he realised he had been caressing Zero's lips, the Omega's tongue had accidently licked his thumb when licking his lips.

_What would it be like, to touch those lips with my own tongue?_ Kaname thought, his eyes locked on those pale pink full lips, they were so inviting. Before he truly comprehended what he was doing, Kaname leant down and gently traced Zero's lips with his tongue_. God! He was so sweet. So tempting. _

Kaname groaned, closing his eyes and unable to hold back he pressed his lips desperately to Zero's. His tongue peeked out to touch the line of Zero's mouth, easing its way in...Pain flared in his bottom lip. Snapping his eyes open, he stared directly into suspicious lavender hued orbs. "What. The. Hell. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing?" Zero hissed between clenched teeth. The bite hadn't been sharp enough to break the skin and draw blood and Kaname knew his advanced healing would conceal any bruise that might form before it even had a chance.

Kaname licked his lip to ease the pain and offered Zero a polite smile. "Ah Zero-kun. You woke up a lot earlier than last time."

"You didn't answer my question." Zero snapped. He wanted to sit up, but Kuran hadn't moved from where he was bent over Zero's face.

"No." Kaname agreed.

"What were you doing?" Zero's voice suggested a world of pain if Kaname didn't answer.

"You bit yourself while asleep. I was just healing it for you." Kaname said easily even as he cursed himself for using such a pathetic and flimsy lie. Zero seemed to think so too as both silver eyebrows disappeared under his fringe.

"Really?" Scepticism dripped from Zero's mouth like honey dripping from a beehive.

"It's all I'm saying on the matter." Kaname told him with a small smug smile and sat up before Zero could bite him again. Not that he'd mind, Kaname realised. Zero sat up, still eyeing Kaname like he was a snake Zero had just found and weren't sure if it was poisonous. "Do you really think I kissed you, Kiriyuu? Maybe you wanted me to kiss you..." Kaname trailed off, cocking an eyebrow.

"As if!" Zero sneered, his eyes filled with contempt for the brunet vampire, even as a faint blush touched his cheeks. "So where is everyone?" Zero swiftly changed the subject before Kuran could say anything else embarrassing.

"Funny you should ask that..." Kaname made himself comfortable in the chair next to the bed. With one leg folded over the other, he was the picture of confidence.

**-LineBreak-**

Yagari Toga always figured he was a good Hunter. After all good Hunters followed the rules, followed orders and hated all things vampire. So why the hell was he even thinking about going to a vampire- and a Pureblood at that! - for help and advice. Cross Kaien always though he was a tolerant man. But if Toga kept pacing back and forth like that, he might just have to hit him. "Toga, stop. You're making me dizzy." Kaien complained as he ruffled through his desk drawer looking for the aspirin.

"Haven't you been listening?" Toga demanded looking murderous. "He's on the list!"

"Yes I did hear you." Kaien spoke softly. In the past few days he felt as though he'd lost his smile. Concern for Zero's unknown condition, grief for losing Yuuki and now, sheer terror over losing his son as well had given Kaien very little to smile about. "You know Kaname-kun can help. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, but the only way for Zero to get off the list is if Kuran takes him as his property." Yagari kicked Kaien's desk in disgust. "If Zero becomes the property of a Pureblood vamp, then he stops being a danger to humans but Kuran's reputation will not stop the Association from labelling Zero as a traitor. And I'll kill him before I see him as some...pet to a Pureblood!" Yagari added passionately.

"So what are you planning to do?" Kaien asked, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Ripping the President's head off isn't an option, is it?" Yagari asked half-serious.

"No." Kaien admitted, even though he entertained the thought himself ever since Yagari had revealed what the Hunter Association leader had done.

"Oh, we are interrupting." The heavily accented Japanese sounded from the doorway. Three girls stood with Sayori, all of them looking at the two men in curiosity. The blonde girl, who didn't look old enough to be a high school student, even though she wore the Day Class uniform. The other two strangers also wore variants of the uniform. The redheaded girl's skirt was at least an inch shorter than the rules and instead of the long socks and brown ankle boots; she wore knee high high-heeled black boots with lace ups and fishnet stockings. The brunette wore trousers like the boys instead of a skirt.

"Who the hell are you?" Yagari demanded, stubbing his cigarette out on Kaien's desk- and pointedly ignored the headmaster's over-the-top reaction to the ash stain.

"Von Straussenberg Lydia." The blonde cheerfully introduced herself with the traditional bow. "And this is Peyton," She gestured to the redhead with cold pale grey eyes that were outlined heavily in kohl and her full lips were painted dark brown, she gave a deep nod rather than the bow. "And la Rouge Elina." The brunette, who hair was plaited away from her face with shoulder length locks framing a stunning face that was devoid of any make-up.

Straussenberg adjusted the black bowler's hat she'd added to her uniform and grinned at the adults. "Have you forgotten- we are the new foreign exchange students." She held out her hand to the headmaster who took it in an enthusiastic handshake, she then did the same with Yagari who gripped it briefly before dropping it like a hot stone.

"Of course!" Kaien cooed, some of his former eccentricity coming back as he remembered the girls. "I hope you haven't had too much trouble getting here."

"Not at all, Wakaba-san was kind enough to show us the way to your office as we got a little lost on the campus." Liddy's answering smile was slightly embarrassed. "She has been filling us in on the rules and regulations of the Night Class."

"Of course, you're from the Hunters in Germany, France and England." Yagari murmured slightly as if he was in a trance. He blinked and then turned back to the girls, "I hope you can keep the vamps in order here."

"The bloodsuckers will do what we tell them." Peyton told them confidently.

"They're like dogs. You just have to train them properly." Elina said with a dark chuckle. Yagari smirked slightly; she was his kind of Hunter.

"We look forward to attending Cross Academy, and assisting the Prefects."

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Don't forget to review! **


	6. Seiren's Road Trip

**A.N: I'm so sorry! It's late I know. I wanted to get this out a few days ago but I ended up doing a couple of last minute changes to make the story flow faster. **

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Six**_

_**Seiren's Road Trip**_

Seiren took every task she was given by Kaname-sama with deadly seriousness. Which was why she was holed up in the darkest corner of the Council library; searching for the smallest amount of information on obscure creatures she had never heard of before. The Council members had been surprised to say the least when Seiren had appeared, demanding full use of their library- including their oldest and more valuable documents- while she researched something for Kaname-sama.

The other Noble vampires had tried numerous ways to find out what Kaname-sama had asked Seiren to find, but all of them were nervous of the silent, emotionless vampire and when she told them the task had been set for her alone, their fear Kaname-sama's disapproval and their unease about her outweighed their incessant prying.

Seiren was content to stay here and do her master's bidding. She knew it was rare she left his side, but it was her responsibility to protect him. She did it with pride...until _she_ came along. In the beginning, the lavender-haired bodyguard gave little thought to Cross Yuuki other than she was someone of great importance to Kaname-sama. After the girl awoke to her Pureblood heritage, Seiren had dutifully protected the girl as well as Kaname-sama.

But the girl was demanding, spoilt and in Seiren's opinion, a simpering moron. Seiren took her selection of history books back to a table, while think about Yuuki-sama. The girl had been annoying as a human, as a vampire she was impossible. This task- perhaps one of the strangest things Kaname-sama had asked of her- was a blessing, as it allowed Seiren to get away from Yuuki-sama. Ruka and Rima had brought her several ball gowns for the school's Christmas Party next week and she had paraded each one to them, when they'd all rather have been sleeping.

Focusing on the first book, Seiren quickly noted it talked a lot about the beginning of vampires but had nothing on Alphas or Omegas. The next book wasn't much better as it had one line vaguely mentioning a '_mythical_' being that was '_a Purebloods True Mate_.' Seiren made a note but thought the book was too vague for what Kaname-sama wanted. But still, she wrote out the line carefully.

"Seiren-san?"

The short haired vampire glanced up coldly at the one to interrupt her when she specifically asked for privacy and met the china-doll face of Fuuma Mikoto, the librarian for the Council. Her soft reddish-pink hair was tied into a smart bun on the top of her head and timid mint green eyes watched her cautiously. Dressed in a slimming floor-length dove grey turtleneck dress, the long sleeves going over her hands and a black waistcoat, Seiren thought not even a human could look so much like a librarian. Even with that hair.

"Yes, Fuuma-san?" Seiren asked, her eyes going back to her new book. She hadn't found anything else on Omegas or Alphas, in this book. She set it to the side, vaguely annoyed with it. The rest of the books she had picked out had nothing in them about Omegas or Alphas

"Ah...I saw some of what you were writing." Mikoto flushed guiltily, "My mother told me about True Mates as bedtime stories. Maybe I could help?" The Noble vampire shifted slightly. She knew she wasn't a very good vampire, everyone said so, even her father. It was why she liked books so much, she was very lucky to have a job guarding and maintaining the Council of Elder's library. Seiren eyed the other vampire carefully. If she was honest, she liked Mikoto, and the shy Noble was as close as Seiren came to actually having a friend.

"Oh?" Seiren asked expressionlessly. "What do you know?"

Mikoto took that as an invitation to sit down; she folded her hands neatly on her lap before she spoke. "My mother told me that when the vampire race was still new, there were beings that were made from when the sun and the moon met in perfect harmony. They were created to be the perfect companion to the first vampires. In the war between the Purebloods and the Hunters, many of True Mates were wiped out by Hunters wishing to harm the Purebloods emotionally by killing their True Mate..." Mikoto trailed off.

"My mother told me of the First Vampire and the first True Mate. She told me that they had a love that would last for lifetimes. The First met the True Mate after it had first been created, falling in love with him on sight, the First took the being to his home and cared for him. Then the war broke out, terrified for his Mate, the First hid his love away. But Hunters after the Pureblood found out about his Mate and believing the Mate was a human the Pureblood had kidnapped, they searched for them. When they found them, they tried to kill the Pureblood, but the Mate, who loved the First Vampire as much as the vampire loved him, managed to get them both to safety. The vampire was too badly injured and had to go into a deep healing sleep. When he did the True Mate made a promise. An everlasting vow to wait for his Pureblood to reawaken and come for him."

Mikoto glanced up at Seiren, she had forgotten about her audience, having been lost in the flow of her favourite childhood tale. She flushed, and hunched her shoulders defensively. "It was just a bedtime story, but I hoped it helped."She muttered to her hands. Seiren, who had been copying the tale down diligently, nodded.

"Is there somewhere where it was written down?" she asked stoically.

"Ah, I don't think so. My mother always told it to me from memory, as her mother had." Mikoto blinked at the lavender-haired Noble. "I can check if you like."

"That would be helpful." Seiren intoned as she stacked her book and took them back to the shelves, while Mikoto shuffled to the front desk. As it happened there wasn't a copy of the story in the Council library but she had tracked down a copy in Scotland.

"I know McGowan Hettie personally. She'll help you to the best of her ability." Mikoto had promised as she handed the contact details to Seiren. The lavender-haired vampire scanned the address. "I hope you find what you need, Seiren-san." The librarian said softly as the other Noble left swiftly.

Seiren made a call to Kaname-sama to tell him what she'd currently found and to e-mail her notes on a secure laptop and to tell him she was following a lead in Scotland, Kaname-sama had thanked her for her hard work and given her the use of his private jet to get there. She then phoned the airport and chartered the private jet to the airport closest to her destination in Aberdeen.

Seiren flew herself, she had no need for a pilot and as she touched down on the runway she knew she'd cut her journey time in half of what it would have taken if she'd waited for a pilot. There to meet her were three vampires. Two were male Level C's, built like tanks and had close cropped reddish-blonde hair. Seiren could see they were brothers. The third vampire was a Noble; her hair was inky black and flowed down her back in loose curls.

"Welcome, Miss Seiren to Scotland. I am Hettie McGowan." The Noble spoke in English, her accent told Seiren she was a native Scot. "Mikoto phoned to tell me to expect you. If I had more warning, I would have had a meal and room prepared for you." Her tone told Seiren the European vampire did not appreciate the short notice.

"There is no need for that. I am on important business for Kaname Kuran-sama." Seiren spoke in English and kept her tone emotionless as usual.

"Yes, Mikoto told me that you had need of our library. Come, I'll show you the way." McGowan turned and led the way to two 4X4s waiting for them in the parking lot. "Duncan and Connor shall take the green one, we'll take the black car and you can tell me what it is you are searching for."

Seiren nodded and made herself comfortable in the passenger side of the car, while Hettie drove. "I am searching for a book..."

"Yes, I know what book." Hettie interrupted shortly. "Now tell me what a prestigious Pureblood like Kaname Kuran would want with a fairytale designed for vampire children who couldn't sleep at day."

"He has not divulged that information. I only know it is important for him to find information on beings called Omegas and Alphas." Seiren kept her eyes on the road.

"Omegas? The True Mates?" Hettie looked at the lavender-haired vampire sharply, at Seiren's nod; Hettie gave a small smug smirk. "Then I have something better than a storybook for your Pureblood."

**-LineBreak-**

Kaname returned to the Moon Dorms with Takuma, Shiki, Aidou and Kain at midday, keeping in the shadows of the forest. Nearly all of them were lost in their own thoughts about what had happened in the last few hours. Takuma had told Kaname that he and the other Nobles had hidden out in Cross's library while they waited for their Pureblood to return. During that time, both Peyton and Elina had come in separately, and had asked for details on how Zero had been living without them.

Liddy had also come in, with blood pills and wine for them and had explained to them about their new roles in the school. "So they're pretending to be Hunters from Europe, on a student exchange program?" Kaname repeated after he'd heard.

"Yep." Takuma grinned. "She must be more powerful than I thought if she managed to change Yagari's memories. He's taken training against this sort of thing."

"He's taken training against vampire mind control; Liddy-san is not a vampire." Kain reminded them. The others all nodded, though the girls had explained what they were, the vampires still didn't know the extent of what they could do.

"We shall tell the others the official story. I see no reason to trouble them with petty facts." Kaname told the Nobles. "And I believe it's best if Zero's true identity is kept secret for as long as possible." His reasoning was logical, if the other vampires found out Zero was an Omega and his blood was so powerful it could turn a Level E into a Pureblood in every way but heritage, then Zero was safest as long as the rest of the Night Class still viewed him as a Ex-Human.

They fell silent as they approached the Moon Dorms, each warring with trepidation. They didn't want to return to the inevitable interrogation that awaited them. And as they expected, Yuuki, Ruka and Rima were in the lounge, waiting for them. "Onii-sama, where have you been?" Yuuki whinged from her place on the settee, where she lounged in a long pale pink nightgown and matching robe. Ruka and Rima both wore more casual clothes.

"I needed to talk to Yagari-sensei and Cross-san, the talk ran longer than expected and Cross was kind enough to allow us to stay in his library until the shadows were long enough to travel through the woods." Kaname explained as if this was common knowledge. When his sister angled her head up and pouted her lips like a fish, he avoided the kiss by patting her on the head in an absent-minded gesture.

"What did you need to talk to them about, Kaname-sama?" Ruka asked while Yuuki twisted herself further, trying to get as close to her brother but without giving up her reclining position on the settee. Kaname was thankful to the question as it meant he could step away from Yuuki, when he did so, the younger Pureblood lost her balance and toppled off the settee in a heap. All the other vampires stared at her- how could a vampire be so clumsy and un-coordinated?

Instead of helping Yuuki up, Kaname focused on Ruka's question. "There are three new Hunters joining the Day Class from Europe. Cross wanted us to meet them as they'll be part of the Disciplinary Committee with Z-Kiriyuu and Sayori-san." He explained easily.

"Oh? What are they like?" Rima asked impassively, she was perched on the top of the Queen Anne armchair, but she eyed them all curiously as if she wasn't sure if she believed them or not.

"Well that French one is a complete psycho." Aidou said as he flopped on to the second armchair, yawning widely.

His cousin frowned but carried on from Aidou's sentence. "Elina hates us more than Kiriyuu does. The other two seem okay, Liddy reminds me of Takuma on a sugar-rush." Both Ruka and Rima shared a grimace at this, while Takuma blushed and shot an annoyed glare at the fire-starter. Their Vice-President on a sugar rush was not a pretty sight. "And Peyton doesn't really say anything."

"All first names? I didn't know you all got so chummy with them." Ruka sniffed.

"What else are we to call them; they never told us their last names." Takuma shrugged. He quite liked the new students even if he was still wary of them. Anyway they seemed to care for Kiriyuu a lot and in Takuma's opinion that Hunter needed more friends.

"Liddy is really Van Straussenberg Lydia." Kaname explained, "But she told us to call her Liddy. The other two never revealed their family names."

Both Ruka and Rima looked disbelieving but they would never go against their leader. Yuuki had finally hurled herself up as she realised that no-one was going to help her. She glowered pettily at the other vampires who were all still in deep discussion about the new Hunters- who cared?

"They know Kiriyuu really well." Shiki commented in his bored tone as he accepted a stick of pocky off Rima.

"I thought Kiriyuu had never been out of Japan before?" Yuuki broke in looking annoyed. She may not like him anymore but Yuuki had always been delighted that she was the only one who really knew anything about Zero; after all it all provided brilliant material to remind the Hunter just how far down the ladder he truly was.

"Apparently these girls have come to Japan before; they are very close with him." Kain couldn't help but add with a knowing smirk. Even though he knew that Peyton, Elina and Liddy held no romantic feelings for Zero, it would still cause Yuuki-sama to be immediately jealous of these girls.

"Hmph." Yuuki crossed her arms and eyed her brother carefully. "If there are new students you should have come and gotten me immediately so we could meet them together, Nii-sama. Especially if they are Prefects, they'd have needed my expertise."

"You weren't needed, Sayori-san was there." Kaname waved her complaint away. "Anyway, I'm exhausted. I'll go rest. Takuma, please wake me up after midnight, as I need to speak to Yagari-sensei about the new Hunters' rounds." Kaname asked as he moved to the stairs.

"Of course, Kaname-sama. Sleep well." Takuma bowed lightly, the other Nobles echoed his sentiment and movements. Yuuki said nothing but her brow furrowed as she stared after her brother. Something had happened; Kaname had never been so cold to her. She will find out who had changed her beloved and make them put him right again. It was probably that Hunter, Kiriyuu always needed to be reminded of where he stood.

"Yuuki-sama, you should rest as well. It has been a long day for all of us." Takuma gently pulled the girl from her poisonous thoughts. Yuuki nodded daintily and held out a hand, expecting Takuma to help her up. The blonde did so, hiding his grimace of distaste as he did so. Yuuki smirked at him as she followed her brother up the stairs to her own room.

**-LineBreak-**

Zero yawned. He was so bored. He had heard the 'official' story for the sudden appearance of Peyton, Elina and Liddy from Sayori. Unfortunately with Cross and Yagari believing these girls were Hunters from Europe on an exchange programme of sorts, he couldn't tell them he was much better. Instead he had to remain in bed all day and was still going to the hospital tomorrow for his CAT scan. He was not looking forward to it. Peyton had expressed concern when he mentioned it, while Elina had threatened to 'make it go away'. Only Liddy had been completely composed about the situation.

Even so, the three girls had made themselves scarce when Cross had appeared with an oversized cake decked in creamy pink icing. In brilliant purple swirly writing were the words: 'To My Darling Son, Zero-rin! Happy 18th Birthday!' Cross had sung Happy Birthday horribly out of tune while Sayori smiled and Yagari looked slightly less angry than he usually did.

The cake had been delicious despite the thick sugary icing and Zero natural dislike for anything sweet. It was harder to stop Shiloh from having her own slice as he knew sweet things were worse for dogs. Both Yagari and Cross had been delighted with Sayori's present. From Yagari he had received a beautifully carved hunting knife filled with anti-vampire magic and from Cross he'd gotten the deeds to White Lily. "She's always been yours in choice. Now she's yours in writing as well." Cross had cooed as he'd handed the appropriate papers for Zero to sign.

The contract was very clear. Until Zero had officially graduated from Cross Academy, White Lily was to remain on the grounds, even though she was in Zero's possession. If Zero wasn't able to complete his education at Cross Academy for whatever reason, White Lily would become the School's again. Zero didn't even hesitate before he scribbled his name on the dotted line. Despite being bedbound, and bored when Sayori had left – she was all for staying with him but he wouldn't have her waste her day off, sitting in his room while he most likely slept- it had been a decent birthday. He'd had a lot worse.

**-LineBreak-**

Seiren didn't know what to expect when Hettie McGowan pulled into a small parking lot. It had started to rain and was getting incessantly heavier by the minute- not that Hettie seemed all that bothered by the weather. "Well, come on. You're not going to get anything done just sitting there, girl." The Scottish woman complained as she got out herself. With a proper view of the building, Seiren could see it was a small church with two turrets at the back and the steeple at the front. The roof was slate grey and the bricks were worn reddish brown. She frowned slightly and heard one of the men chuckle from behind.

"Yeah we get that a lot with visitors." This man had more red in his hair than the other, his eyes were a twinkling blue and freckles danced over a short stubby nose. "Vamps in a church, such irony. I'm Connor, that my brother Duncan." He jerked his head to the other man who nodded silently.

"Less chitchat gentlemen! She's is an envoy from Lord Kaname himself. You'll treat her with upmost respect." Hettie called from the doorway. "And I thought you wanted to see this?" the Level Cs and Seiren all hurried into the dry church. It smelt of candle wax, dust and incense. Hettie turned to Seiren after she'd lit the large white candles that framed the pews. "The humans from the village still come here now and again, we mostly occupy the attics." She headed for the rickety spiral staircase, "Follow me."

Seiren saw it the moment she got too of the top of the stairs, the painting was life-sized and it took Seiren a second to realise it was painted on the wall rather than in a frame. She stared at the picture it depicted.

Three girls- all very different in a loose circle in front of a lake, one with red-black hair that tumbled down her back to her waist, she wore black riding boots, black breeches, black stockings and a crisp white shirt under a black and red pinstripe waistcoat and a black velvet jacket and a dark red scarf-tie. She stood tall and proud, her full lips were painted bold red had the smallest of smiles on them. She held a smart top-hat in her pale thin hands.

The second sat on a low hanging swing, attached to a branch of an oak tree. She wore a deep midnight blue empire-waist silk gown with long sleeves with white lace trimming the edges of her dress, instead of a bonnet; she wore a silk cap with long white feathers at an angle over her white-blonde hair. She smiled cheekily, as if she'd heard a good joke and couldn't wait to share it.

The third was leaning against the tree and stared at the painter as if she dared him to paint her in a way she didn't like. She wore dark gold snug trousers with polished buckle shoes. A white shirt, opened at the throat, a cream waistcoat and dark brown jacket. She had a whip curled in one hand and the other resting on the blonde's shoulder, protectively.

But it was the boy in the picture that caught Seiren's interest. Because she recognised the three girls as the three strangers that had been speaking to Kaname-sama when he gave her the mission, the male looked more than a little familiar.

He sat in between the blonde and the redhead, dressed entirely in black but for a pale lavender silk scarf in his hands. His body was angled away from the viewer but his head was turned to stare directly at them, his eyes matched the scarf perfectly and his hair glitter like moon dust under the sun. The faintest of smirks twitched his lips upwards, as if he knew what you were of smirks twitched his lips upwards as if he knew what you were thinking. And was having a merry time keeping his own thoughts away from you. But his face was the splitting image of Kiriyuu Zero.

"Who painted this?" Seiren asked without taking her eyes off the painting. Hettie shifted slightly from behind the lavender-haired Noble.

"We don't know. It was already here when we moved everything here after our last library was burnt down, we dated the painting obviously, it's from the mid 1800s. We did find a small mark at the top right hand corner. Right there; you can just make it out." Hettie pointed, the mark blended almost perfectly with the leaves of the tree. "It's a Gaelic rune. This one means forever or eternity."

"And that one?" Seiren pointed to the bottom right hand corner of the painting. It looked like two tiny crescent moons back to back.

"We don't know. We've searched countless books and haven't found any record of its meaning anywhere." Hettie admitted, crossing her arms defensively. "But this painting is the only the beginning. Here." She reached over and took one of the largest books Seiren had seen from a pedestal, flipping it to the front page, Hettie handed it carefully to Seiren. The Japanese vampire could see immediately it was very old and very valuable. But it wasn't until she eyes fell on the front page- where the title should have been was another picture.

This one was done in chalk; Kiriyuu was lounging on a window sill, dressed in what looked like a suit from the 40's, his hair was shoulder length and neatly pulled back with a black ribbon, his slanted eyes watched snow fall from outside the window with a small nostalgic smile on his lips. He looked like he didn't know he was being drawn. Scribbled hastily under the picture in the tiny white border was: _Switzerland, December 1943._ Next to the writing was the same crescent moons.

Seiren carefully turned the page. This was a tapestry piece that had been sewn into the page, but it lacked the distorted bodies that old tapestries that Seiren had seen. This was so much more lifelike. Kiriyuu stood behind a hard wooden chair, dressed in a dark blue tunic with black leggings and a white shirt. His hair was even longer than the chalk piece, flowing down his shoulder to his waist. He stared straight ahead at the artist, sat on the wooden chair, in a long red and black medieval gown was the redhead from the wall painting. Sewn into the bottom of the cloth was _Londinium, 1499_.

"Who wrote this?" Seiren demanded as she turned another page. This held only the three girls dressed in gowns that wouldn't have looked out of place on Marie Antoinette. The redhead was dressed in deep blood red, her red hair pulled into a tight bun. The brunette was decked in a deep gold and pale cream gown that looked like her hips were as wide as three people. The blonde wore a netted cap that was angled over her fringe; her dress was three shades of blue- from icy pale to deep midnight. All three had secretive smiles and carried feathered fans. There was a _Versailles, 1774_.

"There are no written words but for some notes on the places and times of the art but its all three girls and the boy in all the pictures. We haven't found any connection to them being vampires- we're currently researching European Pureblood lines. We think they might have been members of one of the lost families." Hettie reached over and carefully turned the pages until she came to one in the centre of the book. "There, P.E.L."

This picture took up two pages, it was the same place as the wall painting but it was only of Kiriyuu's double. He sat on the back, wearing a sopping wet white shirt that was nearly see-through and black breeches. He was turned away from the painter, so the delicate outline of his neck and jaw showed more than his face. In his hands he held a single white lily, white rose petals were scattered in the lake before him. Instead of a place and time, all that was written under the painting was: _He Waits, P.E.L._

"You don't know this P.E.L is?" Seiren asked softly.

"No. And we've looked. We found other paintings that carry the moniker but nothing else on the artist." Hettie admitted. "We did discover that while these paintings carried the same name, they were painted by different people. We've found at least four different artists that painted under that name spanning nearly three hundred years."

"You said you also had information on Omegas and Alphas?" Seiren said, remembering why she was there in the first place.

"Ah yes." Hettie dashed to the bottom of the shelves that lined all the walls but the one with the painting. "Here. We found this book, with the painting. There is only a small part, right here." The black-haired vampire found the page she was searching for and then read out, "_'He waits, for the years I have known him, he'll always return to this spot and wait. Sometimes he would leave for several days, telling us not to follow. Once my sister asked him where he went, his answer was short. "I go to see if he has awakened." Our questions on this sleeper increased until, he finally told us, "I wait for him because I am his Omega." We have learnt not to pry into his past, into the time before us._' Of course we've tried to trace the author but we did find a small mark on the bottom of the last page." Hettie showed her, where the letters P.E.L were in a small circle.

"I shall take this book and picture book back to Kaname-sama. He'll be interested to see these with his own eyes." Seiren told the other vampires. While Hettie's face twisted as if she was going to complain she remained silent. Seiren was on a personal task from a Pureblood himself. She had no say in what he wanted to take.

"You cannot fly back in this and you are tried. I'll sort out a room for you." Hettie said professionally, and swept from the room.

**-LineBreak-**

He had remained in the shadowy ruined manor until another vampire had come to replace the Level C watchdog he'd killed. He'd grown restless with just waiting but he had to remind himself that patience would win this game. Last time he'd failed because he'd acted too rashly, hadn't thought out all the possibilities or scenarios properly. That wouldn't happen this time.

This time he would win, he would rule.

They'd sent a Noble to replace the guard. Perfect, that would give him enough strength to leave this dammed place. The Level B's face was one to remember, especially his expression when he saw him seated comfortably on the plush but dusty and faded settee, he was still completely naked and a quick once over the newcomer told him that his clothes would fit him. At least until he could get some proper clothes and in a much better style.

It was almost too easy to subdue the Noble- and he was in a weakened state!- and take him clothes, pressing up comfortably close to the Noble he grinned when the lesser vampire flinched. "Now tell me, where is my nephew?" the other vampire stuttered and begged out the answer. When he'd fulfilled his purpose, the older vampire sank his teeth viciously into the other's throat and drew out the blood, savouring it like fine wine.

He smiled as he licked his lips, and the Noble turned to dust before he met the floor. "Ready or not, here i come!" He half sang, half giggled madly as he sauntered from the wrecked mansion, not caring about the dust of former vampires inside or what would happen when his captors realised he was missing- in fact he was rather looking forward to it.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Review please! Tell me what you think. **


	7. Remember and Forget

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait! Anyway, enjoy!**

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**Remember and Forget**_

Zero sat on the sterilized white bedding of the hospital gurney. His night had been filled with dreams, some good, others not so much. At least this time when he woke up he had a vague idea of what most of them were about unlike the past month he'd had them and had woken wondering who, what, why. The memories he seemed to be getting were working from later memories to earlier. So far the earliest he remembered was hiding out in Switzerland during World War Two to prevent him from getting drafted and the girls sent back to their countries of origin.

Zero yawned and shrugged the feeling away. While things were a bit clearer for him, there was still a lot he was missing. Both Liddy and Peyton had made gentle probing attempts to find out how much he remembered, while Elina was neither that patient nor that gentle and had outright demanded that he spill everything he remembered about them and his past. He broke off his train of thoughts when Dr. Mori entered with Cross and a white clad nurse, all had fake cheerful smiles. "All ready?" Mori asked flipping through the notes pinned to his clipboard.

Zero nodded curtly. Not that Mori could see it as his head was bent over his hospital notes. "Now the CAT scan won't hurt at all, all it'll do..."

"I know what a CAT scan does." Zero cut the doctor's explanation off. "Now can we just get it done? I have to get back to school."

Kaien smiled and squealed, not unlike the Day Class girls during Change-over, "My sweet, darling son is such a serious student!" He crowed proudly. Zero lifted an eyebrow at him and the doctor cocked his head to one side as if he was considering giving the CAT scan to the Headmaster instead.

"Well I suppose we should get you prepped." Mori spoke as he gestured Zero to lie down on the gurney. Zero complied with a heavy scowl, he really didn't want to be here, but he'd made a promise to Mori that he'd come in and have the scan the day after his birthday. So here he was. He allowed the doctor and nurse wheel him to where the machine was kept but kept a constant glare at the ceiling.

The doctor and nurse helped him to lie down on the machine's spongy cushioned bed. Mori tried to smile reassuringly at him but Zero thought it looked more like a severe facial twitch. "Just lie back and relax. It won't hurt you." Mori said with an air of someone who'd said those over and over to nervous or terrified patients. Zero was neither. But he did as the doctor asked and tried to get comfortable on the narrow foam bed.

Mori and the nurse disappeared out the door to the little room where they'd monitor his brain functions and discuss his case in the sound-proof room. Zero couldn't bring himself to care; so much had happened over the last couple of days that none of this seemed real. He felt that he'd wake up one morning and find that he still an ex-human and Peyton, Liddy and Elina didn't exist. And Kuran still hated him.

Where had that last thought come from, Zero thought, annoyed at him-self for even having it. What did he care if Kuran Kaname hated him or not. He hated the Pureblood so that was all there was to it. Wasn't it? True, Kuran had been nicer to him after Yuuki's change but it didn't stop the arrogant vampire from being a self-righteous bastard. "Kiriyuu-san, we need you to try and not think of anything." Mori's voice came over the tinny over speaker. Zero firmly cut any thoughts tied to Kuran out of his head and focused, instead on the bright lights of the CAT machine. He didn't give a damn about Kuran.

After the scan, Zero found himself back in the hospital room from before with Mori and the nurse- whose name he still didn't know- discussing medical jargon that made no sense whatsoever to Zero. It was only when Mori picked up an empty syringe that Zero got an inkling of what they were about to do. "Hold it!" He barked at the doctor and made the Level C pause. "You took blood last time I was here." He stated blandly.

"Well, yes but..." Mori started. Zero didn't let him continue.

"Then you don't need any more."

Mori blinked at the harsh tone of the silver-haired teen. Working with Level Ds that were on the verge of falling to E status had given him a very tolerant bedside manner, but every time he was with this Hunter he found his patience being tested over and over. He supposed that made him a glutton for punishment because he was hoping to find something- anything- that would give him cause to keep the boy in the hospital for just another day. Mori wasn't sure what it was, but something had happened since the last time he saw the ex-human, something drew him to the younger vampire the way a fisherman wheeled in his latest catch.

"Your blood may have changed in that amount of time, Kiriyuu-san. We need to be sure that you're alright." Mori kept his tone easy and fought all irritation out of it. Any sign of annoyance could cause the boy to leave.

"And I've already told you that I'm fine. What more do you want?" Kiriyuu snapped, not bothering to hide his own irritation at the doctor. He folded his arms defensively across his chest and glared daggers at the lab-coated vampire opposite him.

"We need to make sure, Kiriyuu-san. We don't want you falling ill again and by looking at your blood we may be able to pinpoint what caused your illness in the first place." The nurse persuaded with her most charming smile, even as she reached for the needle.

Zero levelled his coldest glare at her and made her stop in her tracks. "I only agreed to a CAT scan. I did not agree to become your living pincushion!" He snapped his voice was as cold and brittle as ice. He jumped elegantly from the gurney and began putting his school shoes back on. "And as you've already taken pictures of my brain, you can't have my blood." He shrugged his jacket on. When he took a step towards the door, both the nurse and Mori instinctively moved to block it, to keep him in the room. The look in Zero's eyes however sent them scuttling back against the wall and out of his way. Zero ignored both of them as he stormed from the room.

In the reception, Cross was already filling out discharge papers. He gave Zero the once over and happy his foster son was unharmed attempted to throw his arms around the teen and hug him to death. Zero sidestepped and Cross barely caught himself before he face-planted the floor. "Can we go now?" Zero demanded.

"Of course! Let's get my sweet and delicate son back home!"

"I'm not your son! And I'm not delicate!" Zero snarled as they walked out the hospital to where Kaien's car was parked.

In the car park, Yagari was leaning nonchalantly against the car, smoking. He flicked his eye over Zero and then at Kaien. "Well?" He barked out.

"They wanted to take blood as well. I didn't let them." Zero opened the passenger door and slipped in, while Yagari got into the driver's seat, leaving Cross to clamber into the back, grumbling about it being his car. Both Zero and Yagari ignored him.

"You should have let the doctors do their job, Zero-rin." Cross berated the teen, but his voice lacked the high-pitched squeal it usually did.

"They took blood when I was last there. What was my blood going to tell them now, two days later and when I'm feeling much better?" Zero asked, even though he knew exactly what they could have found. But his answered seemed to have placated both Yagari and Cross and the drive back to the school was silent.

**-LineBreak-**

Kaname liked silence. The absence of noise often allowed the mind to focus and he knew that more could be said in a single silent look than all the words in the dictionary. He especially wanted silence at times like this. The Day Class girls were particularly boisterous this time, clearly missing the Night Class on Friday- the day Zero collapsed- and the weekend not seeing a hair of the beautiful boys had meant- like drug addicts- they were desperate for their fix.

They also seemed to think that without Zero, the three new prefects and Sayori would be walkovers like Yuuki had been when she was human and a prefect for the school. They were sorely mistaken. Peyton had the same silent and dangerous aura that Zero emitted during Changer-over that kept the girls a far away from her but still trying to get close to their favourite Night Class boy. After some girls had tried to get past Elina, the French exchange student had made a few choice threats that had three girls sob with terror.

Liddy seemed to have gone in the opposite direction, she chatted easily with her classmates and distract them from the vampires until the Night Class had already passed and the girls had missed them. Sayori, who stood on one side with Liddy- opposite Peyton and Elina's side, seemed in awe with the three sisters and their friendship seemed to be slowly solidifying.

Yuuki sniffed disdainfully as she passed Elina and Peyton, but when the girls simply ignored her, Yuuki stopped. She hated being ignored. And these pathetic Hunters had no right to ignore her. She was far above them and they should bow down to her. "Keep moving, Kuran." The brunette said coolly, in a heavy French accent.

"Sama!" Yuuki corrected her.

"My name isn't Sama, its Elina." The tall French girl stared down her nose at the smaller brunette.

"No! You're to call me Kuran-sama!" Yuuki's face was blotched with red and her eyes rimmed with pathetic tears.

"Why would I do that? You're nothing to me." Elina asked.

"I am..." Yuuki started to stop when Kaname gripped her arm tight enough to leave bruises.

"You are making a fool of yourself. Now let's get to class before you decide to embarrass yourself any further." Kaname's voice was steel hard and he began dragging Yuuki away from the new prefect.

"Your pet needs more training, Kuran." Elina told him as she began waving the gawking Day Class away. Kaname gave her barely-there nod, while he kept a firm hold on his sister until they reached the door to the classroom.

When he let her go, Yuuki rubbed her arm and pouted pitifully at her brother, while useless tears made their way down her cheeks. She didn't swipe them away thinking they made her look fragile and in need to comfort. The look may have worked in her nose wasn't running as well. "What did you do that for, Nii-sama?" She asked petulantly.

"You were being disgraceful." Kaname hissed, mindful of the other students. "You deliberately tried to start a fight because Elina ignored you when you passed her."

"She was disrespecting me!" Yuuki howled, enraged that her own brother and love would choose the side of a disgusting Hunter than her.

"No matter where you go in the world, you'll always find someone who doesn't have respect for you. You don't insult them, Yuuki. You try and gain their respect, because if you do, they're the ones that would fight alongside you until the end." His voice was dangerously soft. "You are a Pureblood now, Yuuki. Start acting like one." Kaname reminded her, as he strode into the class looking unruffled and leaving his sister gaping after him.

**-LineBreak-**

Once the Day Class had been sent back to their dorms, Liddy and Peyton led the way to the lake. "Uh, where are we going?" Sayori asked as they navigated the wooded area surrounding the lake. Elina was strolling comfortably next to her acting as if nothing had happened. Despite the chilly air, she had unbuttoned her vest and the first few buttons of her crisp white school shirt were undone, leaving a V of perfectly tanned skin and a hint of cleavage on view.

"To see Zero. He got back just before change-over." Liddy explained as they came into the clearing. And there was Zero; he was crouched on the ground, petting Shiloh. As soon as the husky pup smelt them, she dashed towards Sayori, yelping excitedly.

"No! Sit, Shiloh! Heel!" Zero called, trying to sound firm even as his lips stretched into a rare smile. The puppy ignored him and pounced on Sayori, knocking her flat on the ground and caused the three sisters and Zero to burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, Yori-chan. I've been trying to train her." Zero apologised as he helped the caramel-haired girl up while keeping a grip on Shiloh's collar.

"How did things go at the hospital?" Peyton asked as she scratched the top of Shiloh's grey head absentmindedly.

"Fine. It was just a scan. They wanted blood as well but I wouldn't let them." Zero explained. He was still dressed in his school uniform as he'd left at lunchtime to go to the hospital. "Got back about twenty minutes ago."

"How come you didn't come to change-over then?" Sayori asked as she dusted her skirt. The winter ground was cold and hard and she knew she'd have bruises on her back from hitting the ground. She attempted to give the dog a disapproving glare but Shiloh simply licked her hand eagerly and Sayori felt her resolve crumble.

"Wanted to see how the four of you would handle it. You did well keeping the girls at bay." He told them.

"They're a humiliation to our entire sex." Elina snorted.

"Oh, I don't know. The few I spoke to seemed okay." Liddy chirped as she adjusted her black bowling hat. Elina snorted cynically and rolled her eyes. Peyton shrugged both her sisters' observations away and focused on Zero.

"Kuran senior wants to see you after he's finished class. I told him to get back to you tomorrow." She informed him softly.

"That's fine. Probably just wants to know about the hospital visit, being the nosey bastard he is." Zero shrugged, he clicked his fingers and Shiloh was at his side immediately. As he walked away, the husky pup tottered obediently next to him. "I'll see him now, so he won't bug me at change-over tomorrow. You guys need to start your rounds. Sayori, show them the ropes."The four girls watched him silently as he disappeared among the trees.

**-LineBreak-**

Kaname watched out of his window as snow slowly began to fall from the cloudy grey sky. He used to love the snow, it being a reminder of the time he'd saved Yuuki. A memory of how pure she was. But now he found it nothing more than an inconvenience.

He'd reread the e-mail he'd received from Seiren from Scotland. Although she'd found more than he thought she would, and the contents was interesting, especially that book of paintings she'd found, Kaname didn't want poor scans of the pages. He wanted the actual book in his hands. And he wanted Seiren back in Japan, not stuck half-way around the world.

He made a mental note to talk to Liddy about the pictures he'd received tomorrow, as she was more open than her sisters. He smiled when she saw Zero, huddled under a warm black coat and his silver hair only shades darker than the white snow falling around him, making his way towards the Moon Dorms. His smile faded slightly when he saw Peyton's dark red hair following him. But that didn't matter; he'd find a way to talk to Zero privately without her interrupting.

**-LineBreak-**

"I told you to do the rounds." Zero muttered darkly as Peyton followed him dutifully. Instead of giving him an answer, she tossed her dark hair back and gave him a knowing look. "I don't need you following me about like a guard dog." Zero complained even as he pushed open the heavy oak door to the Moon Dorms.

"Yes you do. I know you, Zero." Peyton corrected him as she also entered the warm foyer. She shook the melting snow from her hair and looked around at the old fashioned decor. "Not bad if they are living in 1835." She commented dryly. Both her and Zero's head whipped towards the sound of footsteps and saw Shiki and Takuma walking down the grand staircase hand in hand.

"Oh, Kiriyuu-kun you're here! And Peyton-san." Takuma greeted them like long lost friends. Shiki nodded politely but stayed silent. "Kaname-san is in his room, Kiriyuu-kun, if you want to go talk to him. If you want Peyton-san we have some lovely hot chocolate." Takuma was in his perfect host persona and even offered his arm to the redhead. Peyton swept past him and up the stairs, without a word. Zero, however nodded cordially and followed the English girl.

Kaname wasn't happy to see Peyton with Zero when the prefects entered his room. He wasn't surprised either. If he'd gone to see Zero in a potentially dangerous situation and Seiren was here, his lavender-haired bodyguard would have insisted on coming with him. The protective aura that Peyton was secreted was the same as what Seiren did when she was in presence of any potential harm to him.

Still, Kaname stretched his lips into a welcoming smile. "I need to talk to Zero-kun alone, Peyton-san." He told her easily. Peyton's pale grey eyes latched on to him as if he was a suspect in a police line-up.

"I'll wait outside." Her voice was dangerously soft, reminding Kaname of a snake. "One hair out of place and you won't like what I do to you." She promised as she strolled easily out of the room.

"The hospital visit went well. The doctor and nurse took some scans." Zero imagined he was giving a mission report to his sensei rather than making nice with a Pureblood. "They attempted to take blood samples as well but I refused and left."

Kaname nodded and lent against the polished wood desk, observing Zero closely. "You got back before Change-over, but you didn't attend."

"No. I wanted to see how Peyton, Liddy and Elina handled it alone." Zero admitted. "Saw the altercation between your sister and Elina. Elina handled herself well."

Kaname nodded in agreement. Rising, he walked slowly forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Zero. "She did." Kaname lent in further, forcing Zero to lean back to maintain the distance between them without taking a step backwards in retreat. "Now tell me something that doesn't sound like it belongs in a report to Yagari." Kaname ordered softly, his breath brushing against Zero's neck.

"There is nothing else." Zero answered through gritted teeth. When Kaname lent further in, Zero couldn't help but take a step back. "Back off, Kuran." He snapped. Kaname didn't move for a heartbeat before he straightened up but didn't move backwards, instead one arm suddenly snagged Zero's wrist and turned it over to view to underside, where blue veins were visible under the delicate skin.

"You need to gain some weight, Zero." Kaname told his gently as he rubbed his thumb in hypnotising circles over the wrist.

"Let go, now." Zero ordered, but his voice hitched lightly and didn't sound as strong as it should have. "I said let go." He repeated more convincingly and gave a little tug of the captured limb. Kaname held it for several long seconds, driving home the point that Zero was still very weak physically and recovering from his 'illness'. But he reluctantly let go.

"I want to try something, Zero." Kaname murmured and took another step towards the Omega. Zero acted without thinking took a step back, only to bump into the wall next o the door. He glanced behind him, unsure how he misjudged the distance so badly before giving his worst glare at the advancing vampire. Kaname simply smiled and stopped far enough that he wasn't touching Zero but close enough that Zero couldn't escape without getting past Kaname.

"What?" Zero barked.

"Excuse me?" Kaname's voice was polite, as if they were talking over canapés at a gala.

"What do you want to try?" Zero voice was defensive.

"Just this." Kaname answered before he lowered his head swiftly and pressed his lips to Zero's firmly. Before, when he kissed Zero the boy had been asleep and sweetly seductive. Awake, he was an erupting volcano. Zero acted on instinct. His arms wound around Kaname's neck and fisted his hands in tense dark hair, drawing them even closer. Kaname locked one arm around Zero's waist, and the other moved to caress the silverette's cheek.

Their mouths moved avidly together, and like a long forgotten dance they took and gave, somehow knowing what their partner wanted and liked. _He is a fine wine_ _or _a _potent drug that got you high on the first taste,_ Zero thought as he allowed Kaname's tongue entrance to his mouth, the muscle coyly engaging his own. "Zero." Kaname moaned and trailed butterfly kisses down Zero's neck, and Zero's mind was shoved cruelly back into reality.

"No. Stop. I said stop." Zero's hands, instead of pulling the Pureblood closer attempted to force him away. "Stop it, Kuran!" Zero snapped, a little louder than he meant to. But it made Kaname listen and lift his head away from Zero's tantalising neck. Why did he want him to stop? Couldn't he feel how right it was?

"Why?" Kaname asked, pitching his tone low and seductive. His head bent again and he lazily licked a wet trail over the tattooed side of Zero's neck. He felt the Omega shudder under his ministration and he couldn't quite bite back the aroused gasp. "You want this, Zero. As much as I do." He declared firmly, to prove his point he pressed himself against the silver-haired boy, so their bodies were melded from chest to knees with no room between them.

"I don't!" Zero insisted, pressing himself further into the wall, trying to put some distance between their bodies. When Kaname only sent him a look of superior smugness, Zero gritted his teeth and growled, "You're engaged to Yuuki for God's sake!" He doubted he could have shocked the Pureblood's any more; Kaname's face looked as if he'd been drenched with ice cold water.

That stunned look was gone in a heartbeat. "She has nothing to do with this!" Kaname hissed, his eyes taking on a hint of red and Zero could see his fangs beginning to lengthen. "And if you were so opposed it Zero, why the hell did you kiss me back?" Kaname's hands reached out as if on their own accords and cupped the Omega's face. "You kissed me back, Zero." Kaname repeated and again his mouth descended and caught Zero's.

This time the kiss was soft, sweet and almost unbearably gentle. This time it was Zero who moaned, "Kaname..." And Kaname's answer was to nip Zero's full bottom lip and slide his tongue smoothly into his mouth. "Wait...Kaname...We can't." Zero attempted to reason but the Pureblood had disarmed him completely, seduced him so utterly Zero's pleas for it to stop were half-hearted at best.

"I want you." Kaname admitted brazenly, resting his forehead on Zero's.

"Why? Is it because I'm an Omega now, suddenly I'm worthy?" Zero asked, his mouth moving on its own accord. He winced when Kaname's hands tightened behind his neck fractionally before releasing him completely. "Look, Kuran..."

"No. I wanted you before that." Kaname interrupted his voice barely a whisper.

"You hated me before that!" Zero corrected. "Hell, before _she_ became a bloodsucker, the only interaction we had were arguments." When Zero tried to push Kaname back, the Pureblood allowed him and took two steps back. "How can you say you want me when really you have no idea of who I am? How can I believe you when I don't even know who I am?" Zero whispered almost too low for even Kaname's superior hearing to pick up.

"Let's find out then, together." Kaname promised. "Zero...the last time you drank my blood..."

"I vomited." Zero interrupted.

"...yes. But afterwards, you fell asleep in my arms and that was the first time I called you Zero. You said you liked how I said your name. Like you matter. And you do Zero." Kaname stepped towards Zero again and stroked an errant lock of silver hair behind a pierced ear. "That's when I realised you do matter. You matter so much to me, Zero. Let me prove it."

Zero eyed him with suspicion but also a wary hope, as if he wasn't sure he could believe the vampire. "What if...what if who I really am...is worst than Kiriyuu Zero?" He asked, only his eyes showed the fear he felt at that question.

"Impossible." Kaname shrugged off the silver-haired boy's worry. "Whoever you are, whatever time you have lived through, you'll always be someone precious. Someone amazing." Kaname told him with such conviction that Zero could almost believe him. Kaname leant forward and rest him forehead on Zero's again, his arms going around Zero's shoulders and held him gently. "I give you my word, Zero, I will help you find out who you are."

"I've already started remembering some. Bits and pieces." Zero blurted out. When Kaname looked at him questioningly he couldn't stop himself from elaborating. "I remember that we- me, Peyton, Liddy and Elina- stowed away on a cargo ship to Switzerland in 1939. We hid out in the mountains until '47, to stop myself from getting drafted and from the girls from getting deported back to their homelands. They turned me human in '49 after a vampire found out what I was."

"I thought Omegas were reborn every century." Kaname thought back to the insightful conversation with the three sisters.

"They are. Doesn't mean that always the case." Zero told him, "Sometimes we're able to age naturally and die and then are reborn in the next century but more often than not we're turned human to hide us in plain sight of those that hunt us." Zero shrugged irritably as if he was annoyed that his previous lives were so confusing.

Kaname smiled, he was about to say something when they heard a loud banging on the door. "I'm sorry for interrupting you Kaname-sama but its urgent!" They heard Ruka shout through the door. "It's the new prefect...the English girl."

"Peyton-san?" Kaname called back, "What happened?"

"We don't know!" Ruka admitted. "Kain lit the fireplace and she started having some sort of attack!" Zero didn't wait for any more, all he knew was that fire and Peyton together was bad. He knocked Kaname back as he dashed through the door, he also nearly ran over Ruka who barely got out of his way. She sent a look of loathing at him before she and Kaname followed him to the Moon Dorms common room.

In the centre of the floor, Peyton was on her knees gasping for breath. One hand clutched the front on her school shirt, over her heart as if she was trying to stop it from leaping from her chest; the other was gripping a sai dagger like a lifeline. Her pale eyes were glassy and fixed on Kain with pure terror. Kain, Takuma and Aidou stood uncertainly nearby, a healing cut on Kain's cheek and the gash in Aidou's jacket arm showed that they had tried to get near her but failed. Takuma was nursing a slice across his palm, where Shiki was staring at the kneeling girl as if he wasn't sure she was a threat or not. Lounging on the Queen Anne settee, Yuuki looked as if she was watching a brilliant show, a small spiteful smirk on her lips.

Zero ignored all of them and went directly to Peyton. He grabbed her arms and forced them down, she immediately started to struggled, nearly slashing him across the chest with her sai. "Peyton, stop!"

She shrieked as if she was being burned and struggled more strongly against him. She screamed in Latin, "No! No please! I'm not one, I'm not a demon!"

"You have to relax. Breathe." Zero kept his voice low and soothing. "In. And out." Zero murmured as he breathed with her, slowly calming her down.

Peyton's head fell back on to Zero's shoulder, her eyes drooped heavily, but before she fell asleep the vampires heard her clearly whisper in Latin. "Please, Father. Please. I'm not one." All of them but Yuuki were fluent in Latin, having been taught the language since their childhood. While Yuuki frowned at not understanding, the other vampires' eyes widened.

"Did...did she say what I thought she said?" Aidou asked numbly. He got nods from Kain and Ruka, both who looked at the girl with more sympathy.

"What did she say?" Yuuki demanded shrilly from her position, she was ignored by the other vampires.

"None of your business." Zero told her coldly as he carefully picked up the now asleep Peyton, one arm supporting her from under her knees and the other supporting her back, her head was resting on his shoulder, her long red-black hair mixing with his pale silvery hair.

"I order you to tell me you filthy Level E!" Yuuki snarled.

Zero only spared her a glance, "I'm not an E." He told her as he walked out of the Moon Dorms with Peyton in his arms.

Kaname watched him go, and strangely, he found himself looking forward to the next change-over, when he'd be able to see Zero again. Because Zero might not have realised it, but he'd called the Pureblood Kaname.

"So...what did you two talk about?" Takuma asked with a knowing smile from next to him. Kaname turned to give Takuma a smile back.

"Oh, you know. This and that." He said breezily.

**-LineBreak-**

As Zero neared the dorm room that Peyton was sharing with Elina, it flew opened revealing Elina, Liddy and Sayori all looking worried. "What on earth happened?" Liddy asked, stepping back so Zero could carry Peyton in. He set her on her bed and brushed her long hair out of her face.

"She had a panic attack when she saw Kain use his power to light a fireplace." Zero explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. While Sayori looked confused, Elina and Liddy shared knowing looks.

"So he controls fire? That'd explain it." Liddy murmured while Elina suddenly had her whip out and was heading for the door. "Elina you can't go and pick a fight."

"Why not?" Elina demanded sulkily, as she caressed her whip fondly.

"He didn't know about her. If he did, I don't think he would have done that." Liddy explained.

"Why did she freak out so much?" Zero asked.

"I can't tell you." Liddy said at once. "You have to remember on your own." Even as Zero's mouth opened to argue, a knock on the door made them all freeze. Cautiously, Elina opened it to reveal Yagari Toga looking determined.

"Sensei? What are you doing here?" Zero blinked up at his master.

"More the question of what you're doing in the girls' dorms, Zero." Yagari countered. "But I don't have time for idle chitchat. Kiriyuu Zero, I've been ordered by the Vampire Hunter's Association to place you under arrest and bring you in for questioning. Any attempt to flee will result in deadly force used." Yagari intoned, but his visible eye showed how much it hurt to do this to Zero.

"What are my crimes?" Zero managed to get through numbed lips.

"You are believed to be falling to a Level E vampire and therefore becoming a danger to Humanity." Yagari said as he walked forward, and pulled out Anti-vampire handcuffs. As he clicked them in place, he turned to the four girls who seemed to be frozen still, except the brunette. She raised her whip and lashed out at the black-haired Hunter. Yagari caught the whip before it hit him in the face, thankfully didn't have its thorns out.

He turned to her and dropped the whip, "If you want to help him, talk to Kuran Kaname." He told them seriously. Then, gripping Zero firmly by the arm, he led his student out of the building.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Bit of a cliffhanger. Anyway Review please!**


	8. As The World Falls Down

**A/N: Chapter eight is up!**

_**Omega **_

_**Chapter Eight**_

_**As the World Falls Down**_

"What do we do?" Sayori whispered brokenly, questions filled her head with doubts. How could Yagari-sensei just arrest Zero so coldly? Could they trust him and go to Kuran Kaname for help? As quickly as they entered her mind, Sayori chased them away. Of course they could trust Yagari-sensei and if he said Kuran could help, then they must go to him. If there was one thing Sayori was certain of, it was that they had to save Zero.

Elina had no idea about the internal war that raged within Sayori, and answered her spoken question coolly. "One, we wake up Peyton. Two, we find out where the Association is. Three, we save Zero. Four, we raze that shithole to the ground!"

"We can't go busting through their doors without a better plan." Liddy spoke in a tightly controlled voice. Her hands were balled into fists so tight the skin around her knuckles looked ready to split over the bone. "Let's wake Peyton and then go to Kuran. He might be able to help."

"That Pureblood?" Elina spat, "I doubt it!" But she went to her unconscious redheaded sister and gentle shook her shoulder. "Hey Peyton, get up. We need your help." Peyton blinked her pale eyes open blearily and she glanced around, still half asleep before they snapped open fully, and she was wide awake and alert.

"Where's Zero?" Was the first thing she asked, sitting up and running a hand through her long red-black hair. A glance at the window and then down at her body suggested it hadn't been long since she freaked out in the Moon Dorms, the sun hadn't come up yet and she was still dressed in her abbreviated uniform, the only thing missing were her boots, which looking around she could see lying lopsided against the wall.

"He's been arrested by those motherfucking Vampire Hunter bastards." Elina hissed. Peyton knew in that single sentence it was serious. Elina was a bit freer with her language than the rest of them but she normally toned down her impressive use of curses for Liddy's sake. The tiny blonde had a deep abhorrence for 'bad words'.

"Arrested? Why?" Peyton demanded as she hurled herself up from the bed. She took a shaky step, which had her sisters and Sayori reaching for her in case her legs failed her and she fell, she brushed their helping hands away brusquely and reached for the wardrobe. Throwing it open, she selected clothing that was all black in colour.

"Being a Level E and an apparent 'danger to humanity'" Liddy explained. "That one-eyed Hunter took him in, but he said that Kuran might be able to help us."

Peyton nodded, her face was devoid of all emotion but her eyes betrayed her determination. "Then we'll go to the Pureblood. Get dressed, black clothing suitable for recon." She snapped and then marched into the adjoining bathroom with her clothes. Elina also went to the closet while Liddy and Sayori hurried to their room, on the opposite side of the hall.

Although none of them spoke where to meet, it seemed an assumption to meet in the hall outside their rooms. Peyton gave them all a cursory once-over, like a general looking over her troops before the big battle. "Shall we go?" Sayori suggested, instead of heading for the elevator or stairwell, she went to the nearest window and jumped out.

"Yori!" Liddy, Peyton and Elina made a mad dash for the window to see if their new friend was still alive.

"What?" Sayori asked where she stood on a metal platform that was part of the fire escape. Seeing their relieved stances and Elina's twitching left eye, the younger girl put it together. "Um...I thought it would be better for us to take this way...the doors have all shut down and we'll need to use our pass codes to get through them..." Sayori trailed off.

"No, this way's good." Peyton said as she carefully levered herself out the window and onto the platform. The thick soles of her combat boots clanged on the metal, while Sayori waited with baited breath for the other girls in the dorm to hear them and come and find them, Peyton turned and helped Liddy down, as her tiny stature made it difficult for her to reach the platform. Elina was next and she easily leapt from the window the platform.

They were careful on the way down, knowing any sound that was too loud could wake the students, but the minute their feet hit solid ground, they were running, Peyton led the way, cutting through the forest and dodging the trees, Liddy had a firm grip on Sayori and dragged her along as the three sisters were much faster than humans, their speed made Sayori wonder if they were as fast as vampires.

When they finally reached the Moon Dorms, Peyton didn't bother knocking or announcing their arrival in any way except to burst in to the main room where Kuran Kaname and most his inner circle were still gathered. The only ones missing were Takuma and Shiki. Peyton had no time for pleasantries. "Oi, vampire!"

**-LineBreak-**

Kaname stared at Kain, the tall Noble vampire seemed as confused as everyone else but he did offer an explanation to Peyton's sudden panic attack. "I think she suffers from severe Arsonphobia." He mused, starching his cheek ruefully. If he'd known the girl held such fear inside her, he would have been careful never to use his power near her.

"Why?" Ruka asked, she would never have admitted it, but she felt... concerned for the redhead Prefect. She couldn't forget the stark terror that was on the girl's face before she had been sent to get Kaname-sama and then the painful whisper for her father, once Kiriyuu had managed to calm her down. "What would have happened to have caused that reaction?"

"Anything." Kaname answered, "Look at how Z-Kiriyuu reacted when he first met me after he lost his parents." The Pureblood pointed out. "Clearly her fear of fire comes from something in her past...and she begged for her father." Kaname mused out loud. He wanted to go and find out what had caused Peyton- who he thought as cold and calm as an icy lake in the heart of winter- to have that reaction.

"Hmph." Yuuki snorted from her reclined position on the settee, she hadn't moved at all since Kiriyuu and the redhead had left. "Who cares?" She asked in her snooty high pitched voice. "What are two Hunters to us? They're boring and unimportant. The only thing that girl did was give us all a good show." She giggled shrilly while the others all gazed at her coldly.

"Yuuki-sama, with every respect you deserve, do you remember when you were so scared of the outside world you rarely set foot outside the campus? I would never think of subjecting a living being to such fear and anxiety." Kain pointed out, keeping his voice so respectable it came off almost greasy.

Yuuki glared at him. She hated all reminders of her frail human life from before, before she took her rightful place next to her brother, as his queen. Catching Kaname's hard gaze, she was reminded of his earlier warning '_act like a Pureblood_.' Yuuki shrugged callously, "So what if she was a little scared of fire? Her face was hilarious!" Yuuki sniggered and didn't notice the looks of utter revulsion the other vampires gave her.

"Oi, Vampire!" Everyone turned to see Peyton leading Elina, Liddy and Sayori towards Kaname. Kaname raised an eyebrow at the obvious desperation on Sayori's and Liddy's face. Something had happened, something important. Peyton seemed completely recovered from her earlier ordeal and Elina looked like she wanted to be a thousand miles from this room.

"What happened?" He demanded, knowing only something to do with Zero would have brought them to him.

"Get rid of your lapdogs, we need to talk privately." Peyton said calmly, she was dressed as if she was expected to go into battle, a snug sleeveless black turtleneck top was tucked loosely black leather pants that hugged her legs but were roomy enough to give her plenty of mobility and a into thick leather and silver belt was slung crossways over her hips and was loaded down with various throwing knives. Thick soled combat boots encased her feet, and to complete the outfit; she had fingerless black gloves that went past her elbow.

"We're not going anywhere!" Ruka declared hotly, eyeing the weapons with more than a little distrust, it was obvious she was afraid they might attack her beloved Pureblood.

"Fine, stay where you are and don't interrupt!" Elina snapped, her temper which was always closer to the surface than her sisters threatened to flood out. She too was dressed as if she was going to a brawl. Black combat trousers hung low on her narrow hips and covered boots that were almost identical to Peyton's except they had scratched steel toe caps. She wore a dark grey and black striped man's shirt tied over a black wife-beater and the sleeves rolled to her elbows. Her wrists were encircled with spiked wristbands.

"Zero's been arrested by the Hunter's Association. Yagari said you can help." Liddy looked so strange not being her usual cheerful self. Her long blonde hair was tied back into two French plaits and she had a black leather beret jammed on her head, her side fringe had been pinned away showing her right eye to them for the first time. There was a tiny black rose in full bloom tattooed under it. She too wore dark colours like her sisters, black cropped pants and black shoes that looked like reef-walkers. She wore a dark blue long sleeved flared mini-dress under a black waist corset. She still had a death grip on Sayori's wrist.

Even Sayori, the sweet shy girl who hid a strength of will that rivalled titanium, was dressed to kick someone's ass. Black jeans, black hiking boots, a dark green long-sleeved t-shirt and a black denim jacket. Kaname was about to demand for more information when he heard Yuuki leap to her feet, smiling gleefully. "Good! About time, maybe they'll finally put that ex-human down like the dog he is." Everyone froze, Kain, Aidou and Kaname all knew what the new prefects were capable of while even Ruka and Rima knew they weren't to be dismissed so easily.

WHAM! The short arm punch to Yuuki's nose had the brunette's eyes rolling to the back of her head and she crumpled like a marionette whose strings had just been snipped. All eyes slowly tracked to the caramel-haired prefect who stood over her former best friend. Sayori's fists were clenched so hard they were shaking; pure vampire blood was still wet on her knuckles. "Don't...Don't you dare talk about Zero like that!" She hissed, fury making her breath hitch.

"Nice one." Elina finally broke the ice with an appreciative nod. She then dismissed Yuuki's unconscious body as if it held no more importance than a piece of furniture. "So can you?" She demanded of Kaname.

"Can I what?" Kaname asked, he was still staring down at his sister's crumpled form and wondered why he didn't feel more shocked and annoyed or at least righteous fury for a human knocking out a Pureblood. Instead he felt relieved, and to his slight concern he found himself listing different ways he could keep Yuuki unconscious like that. It was rather peaceful.

"Help, you deaf moron." Elina reminded him. While the rest of the vampires in the room bristled at the deliberate insult, Kaname simply settled himself on the settee.

"Maybe if you started from the beginning...you said Zero had been arrested? When?"

"By the Hunter's Association, ten minutes ago." Peyton informed him; she paced back and forth across the room- stepping over Yuuki's still form as if the vampire girl wasn't even there- like a caged tiger. Although he had only known her for a couple of days, Kaname found it strange for her to show her distress and worry so blatantly.

"Do they know?" Aidou couldn't stop himself from asking, he felt himself drawn inexplicitly towards the Omega. There was just something about Kiriyuu that was drawing all the vampires in, like they were all moths to his flame, and it wasn't just the ones who knew Kiriyuu's change in status. He'd seen the way some of the lower class vampires had started to stare at him, when they'd seen him after his birthday.

"Don't be ridiculous! Can you imagine what they would do if they knew that?" Liddy burst out, looking uncharacteristically furious. As quickly as her outburst was done, tears welled up in those cornflower blue eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "They'd torture him to death. If they found out how potent his blood is to a vampire- how much stronger it can make your kind, they'd never let him live."

"We won't let that happen." Peyton reassured her youngest sister. "We didn't let those Spanish bastards get him; I'm sure as hell not going to let these simple pricks hurt him now."

"Then what are his charges?" Kaname brought the conversation but to their current predicament. He also shot Aidou a warning glance; he didn't like how the blonde ice-manipulator had sounded so concerned for Zero. He knew how the vampires had started looking at the silver haired boy- he wasn't blind- but he wanted to be the one closest to Zero, the one he relied on to help. The only one Zero relied on, period.

That feeling however was quickly swallowed by the mounting fury- the Hunter Association had taken Zero. Had arrested the beautiful volcano that was Zero had been taken away from him. And Kaname found himself entertaining different ways he could convince the Hunters to allow him to kill their president. Or keep him as a pet to torture. After all, flaying was a nice long painful way to die

"They say he's a Level E and a danger to humanity. If they really knew..." Sayori trailed off.

"Wait one minute!" Ruka's voice cut through their conversation like a chainsaw. "What are you all talking about? Kiriyuu is an Ex-Human; he's going to fall to a Level E sometime. And what this about his blood making us stronger? His blood isn't that special!" Ruka did not like not being in the know.

"Can we explain to Ruka and Rima?" Kain asked courteously, when he spoke, Peyton gave him a look filled with so much loathing, Kain wondered if he had suddenly shrunk to three millimetres tall.

"Are they trustworthy?" Liddy asked, drawing attention away from the staring competition Peyton and Kain had going.

"Of course we can be trusted!" Ruka declared passionately. "I'd never betray Kaname-sama!

"I didn't ask if you'd betray Kuran. I asked if you could be trusted." Liddy snapped, "If we told you about Zero, and some bloodsucker asked for that information would you give it to them without blinking. That's what I am asking."

"What is he?" Rima asked her usual monotone "What are you?" She had noticed the difference and she wasn't stupid. She knew the change in Zero had started just before the three new 'Hunters' had turned up and Zero's mysterious illness suddenly vanished.

Peyton, Elina, Liddy and Sayori all shared cautious glances. They were the closest to him and in a sense they knew that what the present Nobles were to Kuran they were to Zero. Elina shook her head adamantly. "We cannot allow any more to know. It'll be like before."

"They can help!" Liddy protested. After everything that happened she would take help wherever she could find it.

"Help? Help?" Elina repeated outraged. "It's their kind that turned him into the last one! Or have you forgotten what happened in Scotland."

"If we can get back to the matter at hand?" Kaname's voice rang across the room. "I give you my word, Ruka and Rima can be trusted. I'll make sure they don't even attempt a betrayal." His voice was filled with so much sincerity that even Elina looked like she believed him.

Peyton took it upon herself to explain to the two vampires what Zero was and what had happened since his awakening. To their credit, Rima and Ruka were silent until the redhead was finished. Kaname could see they curbed their initial questioning of the three girls in fear of rebuttal from him. He could see their confusion, their initial instinctive repose to deny such a thing possible but one look at him demolished any attempt they made to refute. So they kept silent and waited for their Pureblood to take the lead.

Kaname dismissed them from his mind, now more interested to learn more of Zero's sudden arrest and what he could to get the Omega back whole and healthy. "Does Cross know yet?" He asked, he knew that Yagari would never keep it from Zero's foster father, and the minute he heard, Cross would come to him, most likely in a panic and fear ridden state. After all, Kaien had admitted it himself, Zero was all he had left apart from the school.

"Don't think so. We changed and then came straight here." Sayori admitted, tugging nervously at the long sleeves of her t-shirt.

Kaname nodded. "We have to wait twenty four hours before I can intercede on my own. Once Cross is informed formally by the Association, I can start negotiations." He explained, and waited for the predictable eruption.

It came immediately.

"WHAT!" Four voices rose in sync. The four girls stared at him, two in darkening fury and two in incredulous annoyance.

"What good is that? What good are you if you have to wait a day to save him?" Elina cried out, she lashed out a kick at the settee, before she simply dropped down on it. "Did you know he tried to save me when I was ten? He offered me a better life than the one I had and I turned him down. So he offered me life when only death would have me."

"Elina...stop this. Don't go down that path." Peyton dropped to her knees in front of her sister. "After what happened to you...how can you blame yourself for not going with him..."

"What happened?" Ruka asked her curiosity about these three strangers piqued. She had tried to decipher what they were saying but so far the only thing she had gotten from them was that Peyton was terrified of fire, Elina was always angry and Liddy's moods swung from cheerful and frivolous to deeply serious.

"That is a very personal question. You may not want to know the answer." Liddy answered cryptically.

"If I knew more about them, I'd trust them more. And I'd be more inclined to help." Ruka stated bluntly.

"Really? And in return I suppose you'll share your deepest and darkest memories, the ones that wake you in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat or tear you screaming from your bed? The ones that taint you so deeply that you can't see it but you know it's there, you feel in crawling under your skin. The memories you can't pretend never happened, no matter how hard you try." Liddy whispered, each time taking a closer step towards Ruka.

"Lydia von Straussenberg!" Kaname snapped out her full name, said the European way on purpose and brought the diminutive blonde swinging towards him with fury in her eyes.

"You know my story, Kuran. I shared it with you because I knew you needed to hear it." She looked at the Pureblood expectantly. So did everyone else.

"Your past was a truly regretful one; your future was destroyed by selfish reasons with no mercy." Kaname sighed. He had no idea why Liddy would bring this up, here and now.

"Then know I don't exaggerate when I say Peyton and Elina's stories are a thousand times worst." Liddy spoke coolly and Kaname understood why. His own past was a deep forest of pain and misery and loss. If he had someone suddenly demanding to know every terrible thing that had happened to him, he expected he wouldn't have been as lenient as Liddy had been to Ruka.

**-LineBreak-**

In the end, the vampires had managed to convince their guests to wait until Kaien had been informed and came to Kaname. The Pureblood had admitted it wouldn't be until morning depending on how long the Association managed to keep Yagari away from the school. Rima had found a spare room for Elina and Sayori to rest in and Ruka and Aidou had gone to inform Takuma and Shiki of the situation. Kaname had moved his still unconscious sister to her room more out of brotherly obligation than any real concern for her.

That left Kain with Peyton. The Firestarter with the Arsonphobic. It was a little bit ironic, Kain mused as he followed Peyton on to the balcony, soaking up the bitter cold air and snow that was blotting any chance of a sunrise. If this continued, he thought, there was a possibility that they'd all be snowed in. "I hope you don't mind me being here" Kain spoke with extreme politeness, but he saw the girl stiffen and shoot him a distrustful glance, before she turned and began watching the snow fall.

"I don't mean to scare you..." Kain trailed off. He'd never been more uncertain of anything than he had in this moment. He wanted to make peace with the girl but Peyton was studiously ignoring he even existed unless it was gift him with glances filled to the brim with derision.

"You want to ask so ask already." She snapped cold as the biting wind. She still kept her back to him, and he noticed that her clothes were designed for movement rather than warmth. He was about to shrug out his school blazer and offer it as any gentleman would do but reconsidered. He doubted Peyton would accept it.

So they'd play it her way for now. "Why are you scared of fire?" He asked, knowing that this is what she expected. A nosy vampire with no thought to another's feelings. She turned slightly to look at him from over her shoulder. Her eyes looked almost colourless in the dark background, illuminated only by the lights from behind him. Her dark hair was growing steadily darker as it was dampened by melting snow.

"You really want to know?" Her voice was low and serious. Kain stepped up so he was next to her. She tensed, like a cobra ready to spring but he saw the conscious effort she made to relax her shoulders, and unclench her fists. She laid them flat against the cold stone balcony wall.

"No." Kain answered truthfully, "but I think I need to."

Peyton nodded, still avoiding looking at him. "I was born Ardith-Regina Holliston-Clarke, in a small town just outside London, in the year 1479." She spoke quickly, as if she was afraid to stop. She took a deliberate deep breath and started more slowly, pacing her words evenly. "You've seen what I can do to people. How I make them do things. Zero's blood strengthened it but it came from when I was for the most part- human. For that reason most the townspeople were terrified of me. That fear kept them away from me."

She paused, looking down at her hands blindly, Kain could tell she was no longer seeing them but seeing back through the centuries. "My mother died in childbirth- a common occurrence back then and my father was the town squire. He had wanted a son, a strong male child to carry his name and title after his death. He didn't want a useless daughter. And my curse made him hate me even more. Still, he didn't do anything until I turned fifteen. A man came to our village; he claimed he was a traveller who exorcised demons."

Kain felt his belly clutch painfully in pity. He had a feeling where this story was going. "He took one look at me and claimed when I was born a demon went inside me and killed my mother. My father and the rest of the town were all too pleased to have someone to blame for all the mishaps. And already being a social outcast, I was the perfect scapegoat. My father and the traveller took me to the church's basement- believing the demons power would be lowest there- and they attempted to drive it out of my body..."

"H-How?" Kain blurted out before he fully thought the question through. He wanted to block his ears and pretend this never happened. He wished he could back to being blissfully ignorant.

"Torture." Peyton said it calmly, emotionlessly but the silent tears that wet her cheeks betrayed her true feelings. "Hot iron pokers were used to burn my skin; they dunked my head into a barrel of water and held me there for times, until I thought they'd drown me. They tore my back with whips and once I was left to hang by my arms from the ceiling for twenty-four hours. And they cut my hair off, so close the razor they used nicked my head and left bloody patches with the clumps of hair." She took another deep breath, "The more I claimed innocence the more they hurt me. Finally the traveller told my father the only way for him to save my immortal soul was to purify me with fire."

"You weren't begging _for_ your father, back then. You were begging _to_ him." Kain remembered the mumbled words before Peyton had fallen asleep in Zero's arms after her panic attack.

"He told me he was going to save me. And then he lit my pyre. I can still remember the heat of the fire as it ate away my skin, the stench of my own flesh burning..." Peyton rubbed a hand over her arms as if she was reliving it. "And the pain...dear God the pain." She swallowed and glanced sideways at Kain. "I don't know what Zero did, how he got there...when I came to I was in a bed, he'd already fed me his blood and I was fully healed. Even my hair had grown back. And Zero was seated opposite me, waiting."

"What happened?"

"I was furious with him...I thought he was a real demon, one that would take me away. But he had already done that and he wasn't a demon. He was an angel." Peyton sighed. "I left him in that inn, a godforsaken dive that didn't care who their lodgers were as long as they got paid. He didn't try to stop me but it didn't take me long, a couple of months to realise that I was too different now. I didn't know how to survive in this new life...I went crawling back to him. He never got mad at me for leaving after he saved me and he never once lorded it over me that I needed him. He was almost unbearably kind and understanding..." She trailed off, a tiny smile tilting the corners of her mouth. "He didn't want to save me to begin with, but he once told me he couldn't bear to see an innocent die because of some else couldn't face their own fears."

"Have you faced your fears?"

"Zero tried. Elina tried. Liddy tried. Hell I even tried on my own. No matter how we approach it, as soon as I see a live flame, I can't breathe and my heart beats so hard I think it tried to leave my chest..." She turned to look at him fully, and Kain saw her thin hands were nearly blue with cold.

Kain didn't say anything, he wasn't sure how to ask so he acted silently. He took the icy cold hands in his own and focused his power. It was much more difficult to create warmth instead of a flame, but he managed it. He warmed her hands in his own, without bringing that beautiful dancing orange and yellow fire out. Peyton stared at their hands as if she wasn't sure what she was seeing before she stepped back, looking more than a little nervous. It was strange to see it on her proud face.

"What the hell was that?" She demanded in a hoarse voice.

"Fire can heal as much as it destroys, Peyton-san." Kain answered softly.

**-LineBreak-**

From Yuuki's bedroom window, Kaname had a clear view of the balcony Kain and Peyton were occupying. Due to the soundproofing they'd put on the vampire rooms, he couldn't hear what they talked about but Kaname would bet his considerable fortune that it was about her past. He glanced back at where he'd dumped Yuuki carelessly on her bed, her arms and legs sprawled in a rather lewd position.

He turned back to the window when he heard her begin to stir, having no desire to look at her. Strangely a mental image of Zero in the same position made Kaname desperately wish the Omega was there instead.

"Kaname?" She slurred and blinked her eyes open. She was about to heave herself up when she heard her brother speak calmly from the window.

"Go back to sleep, Yuuki. I don't want to talk to you." Yuuki didn't know anymore as darkness took her once again. Kaname didn't turn when he heard his sister snort and snore as she drifted back into a deep sleep. He knew it was time to stop lying to himself. Ever since Yuuki had been awakened and had shown her true ugly visage, his attentions weren't on her but on another. Like a leaf caught in the wind, he'd stopped seeing Yuuki as his precious one and saw instead another that kept him grounded. Kept him living each day just to see that beautiful face again.

Because Kaname that the one he saw spending the rest of eternity by his side wasn't his betrothed Pureblooded sister, but a silver haired Omega worth a million times more than her. Because now all he saw was Zero.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Okay...I normally hate OC pairings but I can see potential for Kain and Peyton. But I also see them in a friendly brother/sister relationship and I am a huge fan of Kain/Aidou so I'm leaving this one up to my reviewers. Leave your choice in a review and I'll keep everyone posted on how the scoring is. **

**Sorry Zero isn't in this chapter. The next one is all about him though. **


	9. Inside the Lion's Den

**A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait! You've all been so patient and lovely. The results of last chapter's poll will be posted at the end of this chapter. **

**Omega**

**Chapter Nine**

**Inside the Lion's Den**

Zero stayed silent as his former Master led him through the Hunter's Association. His arms were still bound behind his back in anti-vampire cuffs, not that they did him any real damage as he was no longer a vampire. But they still prohibited the use of his arms. He said nothing as they took the Bloody Rose and the knife Yagari had given him for his birthday. He said nothing as he watched as the unfamiliar Hunter locked his weapons in a case and then locked them into a small vault.

"They want him in the Catacombs." The Hunter told Yagari dispassionately. Yagari nodded; with one hand wrapped around Zero's bicep he led him through the twisting corridors of the Hunter's Association Headquarters. Zero could feel the tension radiating from Yagari's entire being. Not that the Omega blamed him. Zero had been to the Catacombs only once but it was a memory he doubted he'd ever forget.

It had been nearly three years ago, he remembered the long winding maze of corridors, each side lined with a cell barely big enough for the occupants to lie down. The Catacombs was where the Association kept the Level E's that belonged to vampires of interest, mostly Purebloods and high ranked Nobles in the Council. Of course there's no cure for an E except their master's blood after the first bite and very few Purebloods bothered to part with their precious blood for the sake of the new vampire's sanity.

And now they wanted him there.

Yagari punched in his code and opened the thick triple-layer steel doors that led into the Catacombs. The first room looked like the bulb of a vine, it was rounded with a Hunter manning the high tech security desk and six different paths split off from it. Zero knew that each path would have cells just big enough to house a small hard wooden bed and a tiny wash basin and metal toilet. He could hear the low moans and hisses from the occupants. Yagari led him to the Hunter that was ministering the different sections of the plasma TV screens that surrounded his station.

The Hunter glanced up at Yagari before his hawk-yellow eyes slid towards Zero. A cruel smirk played on his thin mouth. "I wondered when you'd join us, Kiriyuu." His voice was a croak. "He's in 211 A-block." He told Yagari and went back to watching his screens.

Yagari said nothing but the poisonous glare he sent the other Hunter spoke a thousand words. He gently pulled Zero down one of the paths, marked clearly with a big black A on the wall next to it and Zero could already see the cages that lined both sides of the wall. As they passed, the level E's actually fell silent.

It didn't last long. "Hey, Pretty-Boy. Pretty-Boy with pretty blood. A little taste? Just a little?" One E begged disjointedly, his face twisted with thirst and his eyes glowing red, he pressed himself up against the bars, and was shocked back.

He wasn't the only one. The E in the cell next to him cooed through her fangs. "Yous not E. Yous not E. Yous smell too good." Her knotted brown hair obscured half her face but one blood-red eye was visible and was latched on to Zero, as he passed one hand attempted to shoot out between the bars and grab the teen. The empty spaces between the bars danced blue electricity and the woman scuttled back like a crab, cradling her injured arm close to her chest.

One of the patrolling Hunters's raised an eyebrow at Yagari and Zero. The bottle blonde hair with rusty red streaks made him easily recognizable as Rikiya Norio, Zero remembered him being one of the kinder Hunters. "Huh. Usually Mirri doesn't say anything let alone try and get through the bars." He commented. "Seeing what your smell does to them here, it's a wonder that woman didn't drain you dry." He commented.

Zero and Yagari grunted. They knew that Hiou's point was not to drain Zero but to leave him with the half life of a doomed Level E. Rikiya glanced at Yagari's pass and pointed him in the right direction while giving Zero a sympathetic stare. Zero simply glared back. He didn't need any sympathy, any fucking empathy from these damned Hunters.

"Cell 211." Yagari muttered darkly as he opened the barred door. It was cramped and smelt strongly of a public restroom and old socks. The bed was little more than a wooden board attached to the wall and covered in a thin mattress. Zero walked in silently and waited for Yagari to close the cage. The one-eyed Hunter sighed as Zero sat on the edge of his new bed. "This is a bloody mess, ain't it?" He asked. Zero nodded. "Look the President's going to interview you in the morning. I'm going back to the Academy as inform Cross and try and get you outta here."

Zero nodded again and he heard the retreating footsteps that told him Yagari had left. He dropped backwards on the bed and swung his feet up so he was lying down in the most comfortable position possible on such a bed. It was only just long enough for his to lie down fully and even then the top of his head was brushing against the cold stone wall. Zero closed his eyes, he was exhausted. He'd lost a lot of sleep lately and he could feel everything in his body beckoning his to rest.

Just close his eyes and rest...

_They'd been here for five years already. And they weren't the only ones; plenty of vampires who also lived in the human world had fled here to stop the armies drafting them into their pointless war __**(1)**__. It was summer now and the mountains had lost some of their snow to hard barren rock, the hills had come alive with thick green grass and wildflowers. The tiny wooden cabin they were renting was filled with the scent of violets, lavender and daisies and other flowers Liddy had plucked and set up in glass vases around the rooms. _

_Although it was in their nature to shy away from contact with others who weren't 'in the know', at Liddy's advice they had made an effort to be friendly with some of the locals. It was the local baker who first told them about the husband and wife who'd arrived from Japan three years ago. "They don't come out here in the day though, seen them sometimes before I've closed up the shop. I've never seen a more beautiful couple." This single piece of village gossip was all evidence he needed to know exactly what the beautiful couple really were. _

_They hadn't purposely sought out the vampires, but as Peyton and Liddy and Elina had done their own private recon missions to see if the vampires were a danger, he supposed it would have been only a matter of time before their paths crossed. He never expected to become their friends though. _

_The first time they had happened across each other was when Liddy had convinced him to take a stroll during a full moon. The wife was dressed in a pale pink silk dress that was about fifty years out of date and the man wore white breeches with a black waistcoat and a dove grey overcoat. They knew immediately the couple were Purebloods and the couple knew they weren't human. _

_The first meeting passed with them barely acknowledging each other, the next ones were spent in curiosity. They tried to catch glimpses of each other without being too obvious. It was Liddy who finally grew tired of the continuous circling and sent an invite that they'd all meet on neutral ground. The picnic spot along one of the mountain trails was the perfect place, and midnight was a cliché for a reason. _

_He wasn't sure who was more surprised that they all turned up, him and his sisters or the vampires. They had made cautious introductions, all of them careful not to give away anything, even their names. "We know that you're vampires. Purebloods." Zero had stated calmly. He knew that calmness was going to get him more than short demands. _

"_Then you have us at a disadvantage." The man spoke carefully, neither willing to be too timid or too outspoken during the initial meeting with the strangers. "For we don't know who you are. You're not vampires and you don't carry the Hunter's stench. So what are you?" He queried and tilted his head in question. _

"_Something else." Zero answered. Peyton snorted from behind him and shifted her weight very slightly, ready for any attack. This was followed by a suspicious glare from the male, who shifted in front of his mate, ready to defend her. _

"_This is getting us nowhere." The female vampire finally broke her silence. She pushed her husband none-too-gently out of the way and gave Zero and the sisters a traditional Japanese bow in greeting. "My name is Juri." She straightened and pointed to the male, who was staring at her shocked faced. "This is my brother and husband Haruka."_

"_Brother and husband?" Elina's nose scrunched in distaste. She had never met a Pureblood before, some high-class Nobles, plenty of Cs and Ds but never a proper Pureblood. Liddy elbowed her in the stomach when the two vampires turned to her. _

"_Yes. It is perfectly normal in our culture." Juri explained softly. _

"_Thank God I'm not in your culture then." Elina muttered, not even attempting to keep her voice down. _

"_No, you are not. You haven't told us what you are." Haruka snapped sharply, while he tried to muscle in front his wife protectively. _

"_Yes we have. Something else." Peyton said as if this explained everything._

"_Can you tell us your names at least?" Juri asked, putting a hand up before her husband could angrily respond. _

"_I'm called Zero, this is Peyton, Elina and Liddy." He waved at each girl as he introduced them. Peyton and Elina nodded shortly back, while Liddy smiled and waved. "Now why are you here?" Zero asked. _

_Juri glanced at her husband. "We have no wish to participate in the human war." She told them softly. "Unlike many of our kind, we believe humans and vampires can live in harmony, but in promoting our cause, we've become involved in the human world..."_

"_...and you're both prime targets to get drafted into the war." Elina finished form them. There was no censer in her voice- how could she condemn them for doing exactly what she and her sister and Zero were doing? Even if the couple were a pair of bloodsucking vampires. _

"_Really, what are you? The girls smell human but you...you smell almost as good as a Pureblood but I can tell you're not a vampire." Haruka cocked his head to the side as he studied the four teens in front of him. _

_Zero hesitated for a moment. He had lived most his life filled with suspicion to all vampires except for the one he waited for. And looking at the two faces of the Purebloods in front of him, he knew who they were. "You're Kurans aren't you?"_

"_How do you know that?" Juri asked before her brother could. _

"_I've met a Kuran before. You look a lot like him." Zero skirted the question with a vague answer. While both Kurans looked suspicious, Peyton tugged on Zero's sleeve. _

"_Zero, we have to go now." She told him and they slowly backed away from the Vampires until they knew it was safe to turn and walk back down the mountain path..._

He woke with a start. Rikiya was staring at him through the bars, his watery hazel eyes were filled with relief. "You were so still I thought you were dead. The President would have my hide if you died on my watch." The Vampire Hunter babbled on. Zero, still reeling on after effects of the memory felt like reaching through the bars and throttling the man.

"I'm fine so you can piss off." Zero cut through the babble like a well honed sword. He hurled himself into a sitting position on the hard wooden bed.

Rikiya blinked a couple of times in shock. Then he puffed up his chest haughtily and peered down at Zero coolly. "I only wanted to help." It came out as a whine. "I was worried about you!" Rikiya sniffed disdainfully but still didn't leave.

"That's great. Now go away." Zero told him, his voice cutting. He needed to be alone for what he'd just found out. He heard Rikiya huff like a child and then storm away, his heavy boots clomping against the concrete floor. Zero scrubbed his face with a hand and let out a groan.

He remembered the memory like it had happened yesterday. What confused him was all his other memories had happened backwards- he remembered the most recent memories first and went from there. He remembered crossing to Switzerland in a barge with Peyton, Liddy and Elina and how they were all afraid they'd get caught and shot.

But this memory was clearly while they were in Switzerland. It was confusing. But what was even more confusing were the vampires. He recognised them as easily as his past self had. With that dense brown hair and dark mysterious eyes, they were clearly Kurans. But Zero knew exactly who they were, whereas his past self hadn't. Kuran Juri and Kuran Haruka were Kaname's parents.

**-LineBreak-**

Ruka and Aidou were not the best to send on a mission together. Although their loyalty to Kuran Kaname was rivalled only by each other's, they fought like a cat and dog. "You're going the wrong way!" Aidou hissed through his teeth. "They've gone to the east wall. It's that way." Aidou jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Why on earth would they go there?" Ruka shot back, "They'd have gone to the lake. It's far more romantic."

"They don't want romance, they want privacy. The east wall is completely blocked from the Sun and Moon Dorms." Aidou stamped his foot.

"Uh...what are you two doing?" A soft confused voice interrupted them.

"Stay out of this!" Ruka and Aidou snapped at Takuma, who stood a little way from them, Shiki next to him. Both their uniforms were rumpled and grass and snow stains were noticeable on the knees of Shiki's trousers. Takuma was sporting a large hickey on his collarbone, easily on display due to his unbuttoned shirt hanging open.

Both Aidou and Ruka were about turn back to their argument when they did a double take at their classmates. Shiki raised a bored eyebrow at their gaping mouths. "What's up?" He asked while Takuma seemed to have noticed his state of undress and hastily buttoned his shirt, his cheek stained a delicate pink.

Ruka was the first to recover; she shook her long hair back and fixed her eyes firmly on their faces. "Kaname-sama needs to speak with both of you..."

Aidou was quick to interrupt her, "...He says it's urgent..."

"...It's about those new kids..."

"...And Kiriyuu!" Their voices had gotten steadily louder each passing sentence. Takuma blinked at them while Shiki cocked his head to the side, his face impassive as usual.

"Ah, why don't I go see Kaname and get the full story from him?" Takuma suggested, he didn't wait for their answer and instead started towards the Moon Dorms, pulling Shiki along by the hand. Not that the redhead looked like he minded, he kept up with his blonde lover easily. Ruka and Aidou immediately set off after them, both trying to muscle in front of the other.

**-LineBreak-**

Takuma studied the lounge where everyone had gathered, except for Yuuki- who according to Kaname was sleeping off a migraine- and Liddy and Rima- who by all accounts had become good friend in the short amount of time and were following up on a theory. Peyton was sat on floor; her back rested against the settee, Kain was seated on the settee and hovered protectively over the redhead girl. Sayori sat nervously next to him.

Ruka and Aidou had fought briefly for the seat nearest Kaname only to have Elina sprawl herself over the couch and cocked an arrogant eyebrow at them while they had to settle for armchairs. Kaname was seated on the centre armchair, Takuma and Shiki had taken the last settee. All of them were silent.

"It's been seven hours since Zero was arrested." Sayori fiddled with her hair as she spoke, her large eyes scared. "Why aren't we doing anything?"

"Can't you call Cross and explain it?" Peyton put in, she brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them. Kain placed a hand on her shoulder; she stiffened and then glanced up at him, as if she wasn't sure she could trust his hand. Three heartbeats passed and she relaxed, allowing the contact.

Kaname was about to reply when the vampires heard hurried footsteps sloshing through the still falling snow. As Takuma went to greet their new guest- all of them had a fairly good idea who it would be- they heard thumping steps coming down the stairs. Rima and Liddy burst into the room at the same time.

"I got it! I got it!" Liddy cried, waving a several sheets of paper.

"Is it contagious?" Ruka asked snidely. Everyone ignored her.

"What is it?" Elina's barked out order easily calmed Liddy down.

The blonde was flushed and a big smile lighting her face, "I believe I am brilliant!" She cowed, even Rima looked excited, a rare expression on her face. "Here." Liddy shoved the papers into Kaname's hands. The Pureblood looked over them and then his head snapped back up to stare at the two girls.

"Where did you get this?" He asked sharply as he reread the papers.

Rima grinned at Liddy and the blonde answered with a giggle. "I hacked the Hunter Association's president's private computer files."

Rima nodded, making her red-blonde pigtails bounce, "He had all these password protection but Liddy-chan just knocked through them." Her voice more animated than usual.

"What is it?" Aidou asked.

"Complete blueprints of the entire HA Headquarters. Including the air ventilation, water and gas pipes. Electrical systems. And all their holding cells in the Catacombs." Kaname explained as he spread the papers on the smooth wooden coffee-table. Everyone crowded around them. Kaname was about to talk again when they heard rising voices.

"I need to talk to him."

"I understand Cross-san but..."

"Get the hell outta my way." Kaien pushed past Takuma as roughly as Yagari would have. It was clear to everyone that Cross Kaien the Headmaster was gone and Cross the legendary Hunter was back.

Kaname stood; he respected Kaien to much not to. "You've heard?" He asked.

"Yeah. Toga called me from the Hunter's HQ. He's being held in cell "211 A. The President has sent Yagari on another mission to keep him away. Can you do negotiations?" Kaien asked, his hand was fisted on the hilt of his old Hunter's sword.

Kaname looked down at the blueprints. Peyton studied him and then turned to Elina. "We pull a Manic Manchester." She suggested. While everyone else was confused, Liddy's eyes lit up and Elina cocked her head as she looked over the printouts. She traced one of the air vents to the Catacombs and nodded seriously.

"That could work...it'd be a lot more complicated of course as we're not breaking into a police holding cell... but we have enough people for it."

"What could work? What's a Manic Manchester?" Aidou interrupted rudely.

"1987, Elina got arrested for starting a bar fight. Peyton and I created a diversion at the police station while Zero broke in and got her out and all the relevant files." Liddy explained.

"If she was in just for the bar fight, they'd have let her out in the morning. Maybe slapped her with Assault but it wouldn't have been too bad." Kain's confused face was mirrored on everybody else's. Elina rolled her eyes as if she couldn't believe such a stupid person actually existed.

"Yes...and how do we explain that my last British ID listed me as one of Titanic's dead?" She asked sarcastically.

Kain and the other vampires said nothing but Kaien looked more than confused. "What is going on? You're not really Hunter's on an Exchange are you? So who are you people?" He demanded. His hand tightened on his sword.

"We'll explain when we get back...but first we need to help Zero." Liddy kept her voice soft and soothing. She turned away from him once the tension had eased and went to the map. "Okay Elina, how do we work this?"

The former pirate spoke in a no-nonsense way that suited a colonel dressing his troops and made everyone wonder just who she'd been in a former life. "Kuran- you and Cross will be the main distraction. Take two vamps with you- I'd suggest Blondie-" She jerked her head towards Takuma to clarify which blonde she meant "and Mousey-" A head jerk to Shiki this time "As they're considered your lieutenants and both have enough brains to know how to play politics." It sounded more of an insult that a compliment.

"Me and Peyton will take the Vampire Torch and Icicle-Boy to get Zero as their powers can help out." Elina ignored the raised eyebrows at the vampire's new nicknames "Liddy'll be lookout with Pigtails and Bitchy, you'll keep the heat off us and make sure no one stumbles on us while we're busting Zero out. No killing, just use that vamp mind control to make them forget." She warned them.

"How long do you need?" Kaname knew that with this type of operation was based solely on time, the quicker they were the less chance they were going to get caught.

"In and out- two hours tops. But we'll need to get every detail down. Nothing can be taken to chance." Peyton muttered her head bent over the maps. "Three hours to prepare."

"Then we better get started." Takuma said and sat down on the floor next to the redheaded girl.

**-LineBreak-**

**(1): this is not meant to offend anyone! I'm writing this from Zero's point of view and as he's lived through so many centuries, I reckon he's become jaded about war and fighting as he's seen too much of it. **

**A/N: I know it's a lot shorter than the others but this chapter gave me no end to hassle and I wanted to post it as soon as possible. Anyway results of the poll are:**

**Peyton & Kain in a romantic sense: 3**

**Peyton & Kain brother/sister sense: 11**

**So Peyton gets an overprotective big brother. **

**Anyway please review! **


	10. Manic Manchester

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the much delayed update. This chapter took a lot of editing until I was happy enough to post it. So please read and tell me what you think. **

_**Omega**_

_**Chapter Ten**_

_**Manic Manchester**_

Zero stretched, feeling the tension slowly ease from his shoulders and neck. A quick glance at his watch told him it'd been nearly nine hours since Yagari locked him in his cell. It had seemed a lot longer, with only the moans and hisses from the cells that surrounded him, Zero felt as though he'd locked in this pitiful excuse for a cell for years. Rikiya had been by twice more since Zero told him to piss off; both times he'd looked at him with a mixture of pity and superiority. Zero wanted to hit him.

The third time the Hunter passed, Zero had had enough waiting. "Hey, Rikiya." He called, forcing his voice to remain calm and even. Rikiya stopped and blinked owlishly at the silver-haired teen. "D'you know when the President wants to...interview me?" Again Zero made sure he didn't sound too insulting or sarcastic as Rikiya was sadly one of the Hunters that followed the President like a lovesick puppy.

"Uh..." A look of intense concentration showed briefly on Rikiya's childishly handsome face. "Yeah, it was ten this morning." Rikiya looked at his watch, "It's only five now." He added helpfully.

"Yeah thanks Rikiya." Zero muttered and the Hunter ambled off to finish his patrols.

Another five hours. He could make that without going insane from boredom...couldn't he? Zero groaned and thumped his head lightly down, wincing slightly when it made contact with the hard wooden bed. He thought back to his memories, he remembered so much now, all of it felt almost like he'd never forgotten. Except what he told Juri and Haruka about a previous Kuran- he didn't remember anything about meeting a Kuran before Kaname's parents.

Zero folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the dingy concrete grey ceiling of his cell, feeling for some reason as if he'd lost something very precious to him.

**-LineBreak-**

"The Hell I'm staying here." She hadn't raise her voice- she knew that if she had it would only cement the idea they had of her being a pathetically weak little human. "I am not going sit here like a meek mouse and let you all go save Zero. I'm going with you."

"No, you're not." Peyton remained unmoving, her arms crossed over her chest. Her angular face was set like stone. Liddy hovered uneasily to Peyton's left, on her right, completely unruffled, Elina was rolling her whip and attaching it to a tie on her hip. Although the vampires knew that the sisters could draw their weapons to their hands with thoughts alone, Elina had explained- with more than a little condescension in her tone- that it was easier to have their weapons already in reach if they had to fight. Only Liddy hadn't strapped her weapon to her body- but then her battleaxe wasn't exactly subtle.

The conversation was clearly just between Peyton and Sayori, but it didn't stop the assortment of vampires and Headmaster Cross from listening in shamelessly as they prepared to leave. "You're going to stay right where I put you." Peyton's tone radiated the power of her gift and Sayori froze, seeming unable to move although her eyes were able to narrow at Peyton.

"Pey, stop." Liddy finally broke in, her voice soft and her accent thicker than before. "She doesn't have to stay behind. She can help."

"Lydia..." Peyton hissed between clenched teeth. "This is dangerous enough- I'm not putting her in harm's way when she can stay here- safe!" Peyton, Liddy and Elina had all come to care for Sayori like a younger sister- after all she cared for Zero when they couldn't- and now, at the mere thought of her being in danger had kicked their over protectiveness into full gear, especially Peyton's as she considered herself the oldest despite Elina being older than her physically.

"She can come with us." Cross suggested. "She's a guardian of this school and Zero's partner here, the Association would be surprised if she didn't come."

Peyton's full lips- painted a dark purple-red- thinned as she considered this. All her sisterly instincts screamed at her that Yori was the youngest; that she needed to be kept safe and protected but her common sense told her that she wouldn't have wanted to stay behind either, if their roles had been reversed. She briefly glanced at Elina and Liddy before falling on Yori. "You'll stay with the headmaster the whole time- you don't ever leave his sight the whole time we're there." She fought to keep her power from her voice as she wanted to trust Yori and not command her.

Elina shifted and turned to Cross. "Anything happens to her I hold you responsible." Her voice was a low hiss. Cross nodded solemnly, he understood enough to guess exactly what she'd do if he failed that responsibility.

They trooped out, Kaname leading the vampires with Cross next to him. Peyton led Elina, Liddy and Yori. The limousine Kaname had chosen- mostly for its size as it was the only car big enough to hold all of them- was long sleek and shiny, like a black panther ready to strike. Although the limousine had a cream leather seat that wrapped around the interior, it was still a squash to fit everyone in.

Aidou was squished between his cousin and Liddy, the latter seemed unusually quiet and serious- Aidou thought it was strange and eerie to see the blonde German without a smile on her face. Peyton was on Kain's over side, her whole form as still as a statue. Aidou swept his hair back, a nervous habit he rarely displayed anymore. He swore he'd need a chainsaw to hack through the tension in the limo.

Elina was nibbling her bottom lip while picking at a loose piece of skin around her thumbnail. It was as if she was having trouble staying still. The ride however was spent in complete silence. When they neared the Association Headquarters, with snow-topped trees lining either side of the road, Peyton reached behind Kain's head and rapped on the glass between them and the driver. "Stop here." She commanded. The limo slowed to a stop.

Peyton, Liddy and Elina scrabbled out and Liddy waved Rima and Ruka to follow. Aidou and Kain quickly realised this was also their stop and jumped out. Peyton leaned in and spoke directly to Kaname-sama, "We need to stay invisible to the cameras. When you meet the president-"

Kaname cut her off sharply. "I know how to negotiate."

"But you're not negotiating, you're the diversion." Elina corrected him.

"I know what to do." Kaname answered shortly, his face emotionless. He understood that in this situation it wasn't a matter of being a good negotiator but a good talker. Peyton searched his face and seemed placated by whatever she saw there as she eased back and slammed the car door; they heard her knock on the roof twice to signal the driver could start moving again. Once they'd disappeared from sight, the vampires and humans eyed each other.

"This way." Liddy finally broke the silence and led them through the trees.

"How do you know where we are going?" Aidou asked, the snow had tapered off to tiny flakes, but the heavy storm from before had left the cold white powder up to their ankles.

"I studied the blueprints. Once you clear the tree line, you're on candid camera; however there is a small section of the fence that is hidden from the cameras by the trees. This is the best place for us to get in and get out." Liddy stopped when she came to the wall. It towered over their heads, ugly grey concrete, as smooth as a lake; there were no purchases in which they could pull themselves up.

"So...you have a plan on how to get over it?" Ruka asked, twiddling a lock of ash blonde hair nervously. It went against her nature to be here- a vampire coming on to Hunter grounds voluntary was suicidal.

Elina didn't answer; instead she unravelled her whip and flung it upwards, towards a tree branch. The black whip lashed tightly around the thick branch, with the handle still firmly clutched in Elina's hand. Elina gave a few tugs on it to make sure it would hold and then she hurled herself up on to the branch. The branch stopped several meters short of the wall. Elina carefully got on her feet and made her way down the branch. When she got to the end, she leaped for the top of the wall and just managed to cling to it by her fingers. She pushed herself up so she sat safely on the top of the wall.

Getting the idea, Ruka grabbed the whip and followed Elina up. She had a much easier time in balancing on the branch with her vampire reflexes. She ran gracefully along the length and when she leapt, she landed just as gracefully on the top of the wall next to Elina. Aidou followed next, finding it as easy as Ruka did. Then Rima. Kain however gestured to Liddy to go ahead. Liddy had taken one look at the whip and then at Kain. Although she didn't say anything, Kain got the idea and laced his fingers to make a stirrup.

With his help, Liddy managed to clamber onto the tree branch and skittered towards the wall. When she jumped, two pairs of hands shot out and pulled her to safety. Elina and Ruka helped Liddy sit between them before their hands dropped away.

Kain re-linked his hands and allowed Peyton to get safely on to the branch. Instead of making her way directly to the wall, she leant down and helped Kain pull himself up next to her. She then untied Elina's whip from the tree before she jumped for the wall. She caught the top with her fingertips, and then Ruka and Liddy were pulling her up. Kain's own jump was far more successful. The top of the wall slammed into his waist and he was able to pull himself up next to his cousin.

"Now what?" Hanabusa asked glancing down on the other side of the wall. In was also obscured by trees, although not as tall or as thick as the forest they'd just come through. Peyton simply jumped down, catching a branch of an oak to slow her decent before she landed, unharmed, the thick snow muffling any sound.

Once more they all followed the lead. Liddy needed no help as she leapt gracefully, from one branch to the once below that until she was on the ground next to her sister, safe. The vampires didn't need the branch to get down and they all leapt together after Elina had also made it down. Liddy once more led them through the trees until they reached the edge of a building, at the base was what looked like an old fashioned storm cellar.

Elina crouched to study the heavy padlock and the six- digit-combination bolt-lock the Hunters had used to secure the cellar. Liddy crouched next to her. "Combination's the President's birthday."

"Seriously?" Aidou blurted out in shock.

"It's actually very smart if you think about it." Elina muttered as she pulled a small metal case out of one of her trouser pockets. "It's so predictable that no one would believe it's the actual combination. Now all of you shut up and let me concentrate." She pulled several little metal hooks and pins out the case and got to work on the padlock- it only took a few seconds for them to hear a soft click that revealed she had picked the padlock. Liddy had already unlocked the other lock; the two girls pulled the heavy wooden doors open.

The stairs down were filmed with dust; it was very clear that despite the heavy locks on the doors no one had come down here for a good decade. The vampires led the way down, not needing any light to see clearly and with Peyton right next to him, Kain wasn't about to summon fire. The basement was a round room with no other door leading in or out, it was completely empty but for cobwebs, dust and a dingy bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.

"This is a dead end." Ruka sniffed as she glanced around the cellar in disdain, "Do you really know how to get into the Association without being seen?" She asked Liddy, her tone biting.

Elina's scowl was so intense, by law it should have obliterated Ruka to a smoking pile of ashes. However the blonde vampire merely shrugged and looked away from those dark eyes. Liddy however ignored them and pointed to the ceiling. Attached into the wall was a small grid panel, through the metal crosshatches, they could see part of a wide tunnel...no, not a tunnel, an air vent.

"Give me a leg up." Liddy gestured to Kain, easily the tallest one in the room. As he had outside, Kain linked his hands and formed a stirrup for the tiny blonde girl, as graceful as a cat she clambered around so she perched on his shoulders. With vampire strength and Liddy's petite frame, Kain could barely feel her on his shoulders as he held her to the grid so she could study it. When she tapped the top of the vampire's head, he set her carefully on the floor again. "Elina, you're up." She told her sister.

Elina gave one short nod and Kain, offered to hold her as he had Liddy. The look Elina had shot him told everyone that she was only accepting his help because it would have been impossible for her to get to the grid otherwise, however, rather than sit on his shoulders as her sister had done, Elina seemed content to balance one-legged on his hand-stirrup. Again, she produced the small tin case this time it was a miniature screwdriver she pulled out and she quickly set to work loosening the screws holding the vent.

When it was done, she passed the grid down and Peyton and Ruka quickly set it quietly aside. Elina was first to hoist herself up into the vent, Liddy was next, graciously accepting Kain's help again. The vent was so small they had to crawl on their hands and knees and go single file. Liddy led the way, then it was Elina, Rima, Ruka Aidou, Peyton and bringing up the rear was Kain.

Liddy moved fast, she scuttled through the maze of tubes, forcing the others into as gruelling pace to keep up with her. When she got to a second grid she stopped. After some shuffling she was able to give the grate a firm kick that knocked it loose. After a bit more manoeuvring, she was able to drop almost silently to land nimbly on the hard concrete below. She was followed almost as silently by the rest.

Ruka glanced around uneasily. Cells lined either side of the walls; behind each cell were the feral red eyes of Level Es. "What is this place?" she fought and failed to keep the trembling from her voice, her eyes were locked on to the face of Level E in the form a girl no older than twelve.

Peyton followed her gaze and when she saw the young vampire she grimaced. "These are the Catacombs."

**-LineBreak-**

Zero had taken to pacing his tiny cell- it took three steps from the wall to the electrified gate and another three steps from the bed to the opposite wall. He couldn't say he was bored- in truth he was too nervous to be bored but he wished the President would hurry up instead of letting him rot down here and psyching himself out. Which is probably what the President wanted.

Rikiya had dropped off several blood tablets- which was a joke, as he couldn't ingest them properly when he was a vampire and now his body rejected any kind of foreign blood while he was awaking. But as Rikiya had watched him- the same way a curious child would watch the lions being fed in a zoo- he'd no choice but to add the pills to the glass of water and raise it to him lips.

He'd been careful not to swallow any of the foul liquid and the moment Rikiya had turned his head away, Zero had tossed the stuff under his bed and handed the empty glass to Rikiya as if nothing was wrong. The disappointment that was clearly displayed on the boy's face when he took the glass made Zero fight back the urge to slam his fist into Rikiya's face.

Finally Rikiya had moved along and Zero had gone back to his pacing. Three steps, turn, three steps. And repeat. As he turned to walk back up to the gate, he froze. Crowded outside his cell were some very familiar faces. Peyton, Elina and Liddy stood side by side, eyeing him for any injury while Kain, Aidou, Rima and Ruka crowded behind them, looking ill at ease. "What the Hell are you doing here?" Zero demanded.

"What's it look like? We're springing you." Elina snorted as she studied the electrified bars. A small frown furrowed her brow. "Obviously its code activated. Each Hunter has their own code don't they?" At Zero's confirming nod, Elina ran a thumb around the outside of the keypad. "Old school it is." She announced and produced her mini screwdriver.

"Elina..." Zero started but the dark haired girl only held up a finger to silence him, her face focussed on slowly unscrewing the panel. When she got to the wires, her lips pulled into a small smug smile. Her fingers were quick and nimble as she cut and crossed the appropriate wires. The gate gave a soft beep and cracked open. Peyton wrenched it fully open and Zero stepped into the hallway.

"Right, let's get back to the meeting spot and hope the Pureblood has done his job properly." Elina tucked her toolkit into her pocket.

Zero turned to her. "What? Kuran's here?" He demanded.

"Of course. Someone had to be the distraction." Elina gave a very Gallic shrug. She turned to lead the way back out of the Catacombs when she froze, turning to see what had stopped her sister still, Peyton cursed imaginatively in Latin. Standing with his gun in one hand, Rikiya stared open mouthed at them.

**-LineBreak-**

Kaname had never been to the Association's Headquarters before. All dealings with the Hunter's had been done on neutral ground as neither the vampires nor Hunters would allow the enemy any advantage of meeting on their home turf. For some reason, when he thought about the Association, Kaname always pictured it as a secret underground cavern. Instead an old elegant manor house with expansive grounds. It looked like it had emerged straight from a historical romance drama.

Or a horror movie.

Two Hunters waited for him at the door, both carrying guns and had short Anti-Vampire swords strapped to their hips. Their faces were set into hard, unforgiving lines as they stared at the vampires but they opened the front doors with a grand flourish, Kaname fought to stop his lips from twitching. One thing the Hunters had always insulted the Vampires over was the latter's need for ceremony. And yet here were the Hunters acting very...ceremonial.

They were led into a grand foyer, the white marble polish to a gleam and gold filigree was professionally laid into the tall pillars on either side of the door. "Ah, Kuran-sama! How wonderful you could join us... and your little pets too."

Kaname's eyes snapped to the top of the grand staircase. Dressed as ostentatiously as usual, the Hunter Association's President looked at them with a cold smile and his arms spread in a welcoming gesture a blind man could see was false. Kaname had little patience for the man, but he knew he had to stall to allow the others time to get Zero out.

He knew how this game was played. It wasn't about him getting the President to agree to his terms- it was about distracting the President by trying to get him to agree to his terms. "President." Kaname's voice was stiff and could barely be called polite. "Where is Kiriyuu?" He continued when the President acknowledged the greeting with a raised over-plucked eyebrow.

"Safe enough." The President smirked coldly, and gracefully made his way down the staircase, until he was only a few steps away from the bottom, still able to look down at Kaname and his entourage.

Kaname felt Sayori stiffen next to him, her whole frame was vibrating with barely concealed rage. A single flicker of his eyes to Cross's had the Headmaster placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Kiriyuu is not a Level E and therefore no threat to humans. You have no reason to keep him here." Kaname spoke loftily, as if he was the one on the stairs, looking down at the President.

"Kiriyuu's unfortunate fall to a Level E is inevitable." The regret in the President's voice was as false as the welcoming he'd given them.

"Kiriyuu is not yet a Level E. No Hunter is allowed to harm any Vampire unless they have been proven a danger to Humans, Hunters and Vampires alike." Kaname quoted softly, he remained eye contact as he asked "Do you intend to disregard your own rules, President?"

The tightening of the President's mouth was the only outward sign of his anger. Then the mouth softened into a tiny smug smile. "You seem to care a great deal for Kiriyuu, Kuran-sama." The President took another step down, towards Kaname. "One must wonder why a Level A- and a prominent Pureblood- would want with a single pathetic Level E Hunter whose death warrant was signed the day he was bitten." The President made the rest of the way down, until he stood face to face with Kaname, Hunters immediately moved into a protective formation around him.

"Kiriyuu has many uses." Kaname shrugged, appearing unconcerned even as his hands itched to reach forward and snap every bone in the President's body. Unable to resist a small dig, Kaname smiled affably "If you cannot see what is clearly there...well, a pity for you. Now I want you to return my property and then I get out of this dismal hovel."

"Kiriyuu is still a Hunter and therefore falls under Hunter jurisdictions." The President stated cordially, but Kaname could see he'd sparked a fire of curiosity in the President. Whether this was good or not, Kaname couldn't tell.

"As you stated before, President Kiriyuu's fall to Level E is inevitable...unless one with was to give Kiriyuu a taste of blood potent enough to stop the fall... for the time being anyway." Kaname shrugged again.

"You mean you gave him your blood?" The President's voice wasn't polite or smug now but blank with shock. A Pureblood giving his blood to a Level E- one that he did not create- was unheard of.

"And gained a loyal servant in return. Kiriyuu is more vampire now than he was ever Hunter." Kaname gave another careless shrug. "Now return my property."

Even as the President opened his mouth to argue his case they heard hurried footsteps and an old Hunter with grizzled grey hair and broad unremarkable features burst through the side doors. His clothes were dusty and torn but he seemed unharmed. "President-sama! President-sama! Kiriyuu has disappeared."

"WHAT!" all the vampires and even a few humans winced at the octave the President hit with his scream.

Almost at once he swung back to Kaname. "You..You did this! This was all a diversion! You've stolen Kiriyuu!" The President ranted madly, advancing on the vampires. Kaname remained unruffled even as he rejoiced the President's lack of composure.

"President-sama, see reason!" Cross snapped, sounded very far removed from how he usually acted that he got more than a few curious glances. "Kaname-sama came here as soon as he heard that Kiriyuu had been arrested to reclaim the boy. How could he have freed Kiriyuu from the Catacombs when he's been standing right in front of you the whole time he's been here?"

The President faltered; clearly logic hadn't entered his thoughts. "He has other slaves! Any one of them could have broken in!" He claimed angrily but it was clear he was grasping at straws.

"The only two that came with him are the two in this room!" Sayori snapped back, her young face defiant. "We took one car here; Headmaster Cross and I were with them the whole drive. There weren't any others."

The President stared at her for a moment, he face contorted with fury and embarrassment. Then he turned to Hunters surrounding him, "What are you waiting for? Search the grounds! Find him and put him back in his blasted cell!"

"We will help." Kaname nodded at Takuma and Shiki who both vanished out of the front doors in a blur. "And if we find him first, we'll be taking him back with us."

The President opened his mouth to protest but the Pureblood was already gone, following the two Level B vampires. Cross sighed, "You can't complain about that, President-sama. You had no right to take Zero in the first place." And then the ex-Hunter was heading to the doors with Sayori next to him.

**-LineBreak-**

**A/N: Okay I know it's short and it's late but the next one should be up sometime next week. **


	11. Authour's Note

Hey guys,

I'm sorry but I thought I could get chapter eleven out before I went on holiday but I've run out of time. I will however post it as soon as I get back in two weeks.

Thanks for all the support and reviews,

Raven.


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